Paparazzi Incident
by kunoichi1409
Summary: -AU- Kuchiki Rukia's life was completely changed when her newest movie threw her into gossips and a psycho paparazzi.
1. When the King Meets His Midget Queen

**Disclaimer : I do not own bleach and the song. But I do own the story line haha :)**

**Paparazzi Incident**

by kunoichi1409

Summary : -AU- When Kuchiki Rukia agreed to become leading actress in the upcoming movie by Hisagi Shuuhei, her ordinary life changed. Started with gossips about her and a certain orange-haired hot med student until a paparazzi who would do anything to expose her private life.

**Chapter One – When the King Meets His Midget Queen**

_you've got a face for a smile, you know_

_- World of Chances, Demi Lovato_

"What do you think?" asked a 69 tattooed guy. His raven hair was messed up as the wind blew fastly. But Hisagi Shuuhei didn't give a damn about it and just let it be.

His companion was lost on his own mind. He seemed to think about something rather than responding to Shuuhei's question. His orange hair was also messed up, and with a scowl on his face, Kurosaki Ichigo was much more looked like a _gangster_ instead of one of Todai's best med school student.

"Huh?"

Shuuhei glared at him, "Earth to Kurosaki Ichigo. I asked your opinion about that actress."

"You mean the midget?" Shuuhei nodded as Ichigo spoke, "Well, her acting seems very good and she has such a good way to control her expresion. Very skillful. But, come on, she's short. Oke, I told you again, she's _short_. I even thought that she was some kind of elf who was lost on Earth. On second thought, you might as well search for a new actress whose height is about 5'6. Duh, her height might be just—er, who's her name again?"

"Kuchiki Rukia."

"—Yeah, this Rukia-midget's height is obviously around 4'8."

Shuuhei raised his left eyebrow, "So?"

Ichigo took a deep breath as he put his hands inside his jeans pocket, "So, she'll be outshine by the lead actor. Oh please, I thought you were better than this. Isn't this your debut movie?"

"Yeah, you're right. I really wanna make a box-office movie. But well, you know, I've already sent the letter to Rukia's manager, Martsumoto Rangiku. And Rangiku said that she will _force _Rukia to take my offer."

"Then why the hell you ask my opinion? Tch, whatever. I just wanna go home and sleep. Lecturer's assignments plus you who crying your ass off just to watch her movie are so exhausting. And you pissed me off too."

Shuuhei chuckled as they arrived at Ichigo's car, "Who told you to take med school instead of movie school like me? Never thought you'll be a doctor just like your Dad. Look at you, studying your ass off at Todai. You'll lose your youth and life, dude."

Ichigo took his keys out from his pocket as he answered, "And here you are saying like Todai will _shut down _ your life. And don't even bother yourself, I'm still wondering why the hell I chose med school back then. Old Man and Yuzu—even Karin—were lost in a joy when I got accepted in Todai. But hell with that, I'm top student at Todai who still have my own 'youth and life' as you said."

"Ok, ok, I'm freaking exhausted too though. We'd better go to our own apartement, eat dinner, and then sleep. Who knows if we can get a 'sweet dream'."

"Perv."

---

"Have you considered Hisagi Shuuhei's debut movie?" asked a strawberry blonde haired woman as she ate another strawberry ice cream.

"Hmmm." Replied the woman before her who was busy playing some kind of fashion game on her Vaio laptop.

"I think you should take the role, Rukia. Honestly, your character on 'Anna's Lullaby' wasn't so _thrilling_." Continued Matsumoto Rangiku with her happy-go-lucky voice.

Kuchiki Rukia titled her head from her laptop, "Well, I think I'll take the role. I mean playing somewhat a witch who's bitchy? Very _thrilling_."

"So your final word is?"

"I take his offer. Call him and arrange a meeting between us, him, and the lead actor."

Without another word, Rangiku stood up and make her way to the living room, where she put her bag. She pulled out her iPhone and called Hisagi Shuuhei.

"_Helo?" _asked Shuuhei on the other side of the phone.

"Hisagi-san, this is Matsumoto Rangiku." She replied.

"_Ah, Rangiku. So, what's the result?"_

"She agrees. But, well, she really wants to meet the leading actor first. What do you think?"

"_Well, I think you guys can meet him tomorrow. Hmm, what about lunch at Urahara's?"_

"Perfect. See you tomorrow then, Hisagi-san."

"_Call me Shuuhei."_

_---  
_

Ichigo threw himself upon his king sized bed. A long day trailing Shuuhei to watch different movies in different cinemas made Ichigo really missed the silence at his own apartement. Although he had an apartement in Elite Tokyo, he didn't decorate every corner of his apartement with branded and expensieve stuffs. He just wanted a normal yet comfortable apartement for himself.

Even since he was accepted into Todai, Ichigo decided to buy his own apartement instead of moving all his family to Tokyo. He didn't like the idea that his little sisters had to start a new high school life in foreign city—Isshin never took them everytime he had job in Tokyo so Yuzu and Karin were pretty clueless about Tokyo itself. So now he was all by himself. He didn't feel lonely though, since his family often visiting him or him visiting them back in Karakura. And of course since Shuuhei was also had carreer here in Tokyo.

His apartement had 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a kitchen, a mini bar, and a _very _big living room. He didn't call it living room though, he'd more like to call it his _life _room. Since everything he had—like laptop, flat TV screen, dvd player, his books collection, etc—was placed in that room. Being a Todai's top med student made Ichigo was a little bit _famous _around his apartement. So it was easy for him to have a contact with famous doctor.

He was half-awake when his iPhone buzzing. With a sleepy eyes he saw 'Shuuhei' on its screen. _Shit, doesn't he know that I'm fucking tired here? _Thought Ichigo.

Two minutes left and Ichigo still ignoring his iPhone. He was still sleepy when he heard Shuuhei's voice via mailbox, _"Oi, Ichigo. I know you're too tired or too lazy to get your ass up and answer my phone. But I just wanna ask you to come with me tomorrow to meet Kuchiki Rukia and Matsumoto Rangiku at Urahara's for lunch. Well, I know you might think what the hell a surgeon wannabe have to do with a soon-to-have-new-movie director to meet his lead actress, but I forgot to tell Rangiku about the lead actor. He's outta the town and I think it'll be good if you come with me. So, how does it sound? Well, see you at 1 pm at Urahara's, ok? Try to be more _hospitalized_. Bye." _

And with that, Ichigo fell asleep, with a thought of meeting Kuchiki Rukia in person tomorrow made him smile.

---

The next morning, Rukia was woken up by Rangiku's happy voice from her kitchen. With a sleepy eyes she brushed her tooth and washed her face. 8 o'clock in the morning was _too _early for them to meet Hisagi Shuuhei. But it seemed that her always-happy manager had some other plans for them.

Rukia walked towards her kitchen only to find Rangiku in her usual clothes. A white harem skirt went just above her knees and a white creamy button-up short sleeves with two unbuttoned buttons—she swore that Rangiku used that to showed her perfect cleavage and her rather big... gifts to none other than Hisagi Shuuhei himself. Her plain grey blazer hang on Rukia's coat hanger. Rukia could even see Rangiku's favourite grey high heels at her shoes closet. Rangiku was cooking omelette when she heard Rukia's footsteps.

"Morning, hon." Said Rangiku as she looked at Rukia. Her bestfriend wore a Chappy the Rabit's pajamas special edition. Rukia was obsessed with Chappy, she knew it. But seeing a 22-year-old woman in Chappy's purple pajamas was still _too _Rukia.

Rukia sat on her kitchen chair before answered, "Moring, Rangiku. So, what brings you here this morning?"

Rangiku put two plates on the table and serve the omelettes she cooked before, "Well, I just wanna check your condition before we meet Shuuhei." Her eyes sparkled with some kind of stars when she said Shuuhei.

"We have, like, 5 hours before we meet him, Rangiku. That's more than enough for you to check me out and for me to get back to my dreamland." She yawned.

"Oh, come on, Rukia. At least we can hang out first, right? It's Sunday. People go shopping in Sunday. And I think we can meet Kuchiki-sama."

Rukia—who was currently drinking—choked when she heard Kuchiki-sama out from Rangiku's mouth. "N-nii-sama?! Why do we have to meet him?"

Rangiku sat in front of her and ate her homemade breakfast, "Why?! You have an upcoming movie, at least you call him first so he won't blame me again for his lack of knowness about you. I don't wanna get blamed again, hon. Him angry to me is my scariest nightmare."

"Ok, ok, I'll call him later tonight. Well, that's Nii-sama for you. Being the most successful bussinessman in Japan—probably whole Asia—turns him into the Ice King."

"Well, whatever you decide then. We're still going out, k?"

Rukia pretend to think as she ate her breakfast, "Hmm. Ok, where are we going?"

"Mall. There are some clothes I wanna buy."

---

Exactly 5 minutes to 1 pm, Hisagi Shuuhei and Kurosaki Ichigo arrived at Urahara's. Ichigo, once again, had to drove both of them with his eco-friendly car. He always concerned about the Mother Earth, that was why he didn't want Shuuhei to drove his own car when they went to same place.

People there—mostly women and girls—eyed them like a crazy fangirls. Well, Shuuhei and Ichigo tried to dressed as cool as possible. Shuuhei wore his favourite black jeans and a red t-shirt covered by a black blazer with a 69 gravity on its right. While Ichigo wore the same jeans as Shuuhei, a grey t-shirt with a '15' on its center, and a plain white vest. They wore sneakers, red for Shuuhei and white for Ichigo.

Shuuhei took out his iPhone when a woman waved him and he just smirked.

"_Shuuhei?" _asked Rangiku.

"Hey, you're here?"

"_Yeah, we're at table 14."_

"Be there in a moment, bye."

After Shuuhei hang up the phone, he and Ichigo walked into Urahara's. This place was always crowded, of course, and was famous for its Japanese tradisional cuisine and its western food. The owner, a perverted old man whose fan never left his hand, Urahara Kisuke, was one of Japan's best chef ever. His wife, Shihouin Yoruichi, was once a famous pianist. But an accident happened and she stopped playing piano. Now, even though they bickered a lot, Urahara and Yoruichi were happily married for more than 10 years, with two adopted children, Ururu and Jinta.

When Ichigo saw table 14, he swallowed hard.

Kuchiki Rukia was _far _more beautiful than what he saw in her movies.

Her raven hair went about an inch above her shoulder, but a rebelious bang hang in front of her face and she had a very big violet eyes which made her looked like a child. From far away, Ichigo could easily know that she was a tiny woman, a midget one. But what got him mesmerized was her eyes. They were so eagle-like eyes. Seemed like she could see through your body effortlessy. She wore a loose light grey t-shirt which its edge was inside her black tiered high waist skirt with a cotton material. A grey oxford shoes perfected her look.

"Oi, Ichigo, what the hell is wrong with you?" asked a confused Shuuhei. Seeing Ichigo almost lost his conscious just because one woman? Rare incident.

"Huh? N-no. I-I'm just—"

"Mesmerized by Kuchiki Rukia, eh?" replied Shuuhei as his smirk grew wider.

Ichigo's face turned to red, almost more red than Shuuhei's t-shirt. "Don't be ridiculous. The Mghty Kurosaki Ichigo mesmerized by she-midget? You've gotta be kidding."

"Tch, deny it today, _Kurosaki, _but soon you'll regret it. I have eyes, remember."

"Whatever."

When they _finally _arrived at table 14, both the guys bowed and said 'Good Afternoon' together. They say before them. Ichigo before Rukia and Shuuhei in front of Rangiku.

"So, shall we order first before talking about bussiness?"

Rangiku let out a small smile before answered, "Well, why don't you introduce your partner to us first?"

Shuuhei glanced at Rangiku, _such a beautiful yet smart woman_, he thought. "Hmm. You're right. So let's start with me. I'm Hisagi Shuuhei. You guys can call me anything, but only one person can call me Shuu-chan." All laugh at Shuuhei's joke. Though Ichigo's attention still on Rukia. Something about the midget had already taken away his curiosity.

After the laughing ended, Ichigo continued, "Well, the name's Kurosaki Ichigo. And as you can see, unfortunately i'm a friend of this 69 guy," his thumb pointed at Shuuhei's nose, "and you might ask what connection between me and this movie. Nah, the answer is, nothing. I'm just a poor Todai's med school who's being forced to come here just because the lead actor, I don't even know who the guy is, is outta the town."

Rukia and Rangiku made a perfect 'O' with their mouths.

When Rukia's violet eyes met Ichigo's amber ones, he could feel his heartbeat started to beat faster. _Damn it, what the hell is wrong with me? _Cursed Ichigo.

Rukia kept on looking at Ichigo while said, "Wow, are you the Ichigo-carrot top? One of Todai's best med student? They said you could graduate earlier than the rest of med student along with Ishida Uryu! Cool!! Anyway, I'm Kuchiki Rukia. Currently studying movie in Tokyo University of the Arts a.k.a Geidai."

Ichigo glared at her in surprise. _She's Geidai's student? How come I don't know her?! Damn, I think Shuuhei's right about me locking myself in Todai. _Ichigo thought.

Rangiku—who was still had her eyes to Ichigo like he was somekind of hot manequin in mall—introduced herself right after Rukia, "I'm Matsumoto Rangiku. Bestfriend and of course Rukia's manager. Nice to meet you, Shuuhei, Kurosaki."

When the word 'Kurosaki' came from Rangiku, Ichigo looked at her, "Oh, please, don't call me by my family name. Just call me Ichigo."

"Well, if you like that, Ichigo. Now, let's order something and talk about this movie."

After waiting about 10 minutes, their orders came. Rukia and Rangiku ordered spagetthi while the guys ordered big beef burger. They talked about the upcoming movie and stuffs. Ichigo—not having any bussiness with the movie—only sat there eating his lunch in silence. He sometimes threw out a comment about the movie though.

Rukia, on other hand, kept on talking about how exicted she was for this movie since Shuuhei was such a talented director. But her eyes never left Ichigo, like she wanted to teased him. But she never teased people. She was a Kuchiki, and a Kuchiki didn't tease people, especially guys. But something about him made her couldn't stop playing with her hair.

She was lost in her mind, until she couldn't even realize that lots of camera's blitz capturing four of them behind the tree outside Urahara's.

---

A 27-year-old guy stood alone inside his room. With a _very _lovely emotion painted on his face, he held a photo of a dark haired woman. Almost all of his wall was covered with pictures with the same woman as the pic's object. He even adobe photoshop-ing the pics so it was like he was with the woman.

It was not a healthy behaviour, he knew it, since he was not some brainless idiots wondering alone without an actual destination on streets. But he couldn't take it. She was his angel. She was his saviour. She was his— everything.

But one thing could led into something negative. One obsessive could turn into some stalker-ish thing. Because he would discover every single thing about her—not caring that she will hate him for that or the fact that he was now an illegal paparazzi.

Yes, a paparazzi who would risk even his life only to capture every little thing Kuchiki Rukia did.

---

A/N : hey all, happy new year 2010 and welcome to my very first fanfic. thank you so much if you have waste your time to read this one [and thank you very very very much to those who bother to review anyway LOL]

soo i'm not a native english so pardon my mistake in both spelling and grammar.

anyways, i hope you all don't mind with each song i'll be putting inside latter chappies [yes, this won't be an one-shot] and if you don't mind _again_, why don't you listen to the songs? Demi Lovato's second album is so much less Disney-ness than the first one [no offence and why am I talking about her album anyway? oh yeah, i'm just a fan :P]

about Rukia's school, she suppossed to be in Todai just like Ichigo but when I did some research for my japanese assignment, I found Geidai. I'm sorry if I'm wrong about this one. i've never been in Japan before, so the city's situation is obviously my imagination based on every japan movie and anime i've watched and every manga i've read..

sooo, see you later when I post the next chapter [only if you review, cause if there's no single review... the readers will only be my friends..]

have a great day, and a great january 2010,

toods,

kunoichi1409


	2. When the Doll Returns to Her Hell Home

**Disclaimer : I own nothing.**

**Paparazzi Incident**

**by kunoichi1409**

**Chapter Two – When the Doll Returns to Her Hell Home**

_this is my temporary home, it's not where I belong_

_- Temporary Home, Carrie Underwood_

A knock on the door was successfuly woken up a rather sleepy Ichigo. Yawned and cursed a little under his breath, Ichigo walked to his front door and met his body sized mirror. He touched his cheek and the memory of yesterday's meeting with Kuchiki Rukia made him dove into his mind...

_15 minutes to 3 pm, they just walked out from Urahara's with a lot of people staring at them. It was probably a rare ocassion when a new and good-looking director walked side by side with an actress manager and behind them walked another pair of an on-her-spotlight actress and a famous Todai's med student. Shuuhei had forced all of them to 'have a night together by driving through the evening Tokyo' and unfortunately, Ichigo had to be the driver. Rangiku was really into Shuuhei, almost every time he made a suggestion, she agreed—by winking her eyelashes to him. While Rukia and Ichigo just stood there saying less words._

_As the sun gone and the moon replacing it on the sky, Shuuhei and Rangiku were getting _closer _at the back of Ichigo's car. They'd already talked like an old buddies while Rukia turned on her iPod and humming lots of song. Most of them were in English but Ichigo—being a Todai student—understood English very well and he could only let out a small smile hearing Rukia's suprisingly soft voice. Ichigo had told them that Tokyo Tower would be their final destination since he was so damn tired driving through Tokyo all day long._

_It was already 8 pm when Rukia finally turned to Ichigo and asked, "So, Ichigo, do you live here in Tokyo since you born?"_

_Ichigo parked the car before answering, "Nope. I'm from Karakura. Move here when I got accepted into Todai. What about you? You're the city girl or something?"_

_Rukia nodded as she took her big green sequin purse, "Wow, what a coincidence. I'm from Karakura too. How come we never met before?"_

"_Dunno, probably you were living in the expensive home or something, no offence," Rukia nodded, "But I live in Kurosaki Clinic, you know the place?"_

_Her expression changed for a split second, and either she knew it or not, Ichigo caught that as the shocked expression. She let out a small smile, "Of course I know. Kurosaki Isshin is a very funny yet incredible doctor,"_

"_You think my Old Man is an _incredible _doctor?"_

"_Jeez, you are the one who suppose to be his son here, not me. But anyway—" she looked back only to find both Shuuhei and Rangiku slept arm-in-arm, "do we really have to leave them here while we go inside?"_

_Ichigo gave her a 'are-you-fucking-kidding-me-i've-spent-my-money-to-park-so-let's-just-leave-them-here-and-have-fun-outside' look so Rukia only nodded before they stepped inside Tokyo Tower together. Ignoring people's stare at them._

_---_

_Around 10 pm, they arrived at Rukia's apartment. Ichigo had to gave Rangiku a piggy-back because the woman was too drunk to even stand straight. And when Ichigo got inside Rukia's apartment, he was totally amazed._

_Her apartment was obviously _bigger _than his. Violet dominate the colour and there were lot of paintings hanging on the wall. He made an assumption that Rukia was the art-freak since her photos with Rangiku or her college buddies were really good. But when his eyes caught a photo where she stood beside a very bored looking guy, curiosity took him away._

"_You have a relation with Kuchiki Byakuya?"_

_Rukia seemed to not listen to him as she pointed her second bedroom to Ichigo, "You can put her inside. She usually sleeps there when we have sleepover."_

_Ichigo put Rangiku on the bed and trailing Rukia to the kitchen, "Oi, midget, you didn't answer me back then." He said as he sat on Rukia's minibar chair._

_Rukia took her wine out and served two champange glass before saying, "Exsuce me?! What did you call me?" she asked with her coldest tone of voice. She tried to intimidate him but Ichigo being—well, Ichigo—didn't feel intimidate anyway._

"_Midget. Why? Am i wrong?" replied Ichigo, his voice was trying to challenge hers._

"_Unfortunately, you picked the wrong word to call me. Now, out, _Strawberry_."_

_Ichigo chuckled, "Oh, c'mon, Rukia. It was a joke, k? Though you really are a midget one here."_

_He got a kick from Rukia as her reply._

_She then sat before Ichigo and drank her wine, "Anyway, what was your question?"_

_He took a sip and somehow his tiredness was decrease a little bit, "Well, I know it might seem too private, but, er, what is your relation with Kuchiki Byakuya?"_

_Shocked, her wine which was currently inside her mouth was completely turned into stain on Ichigo's grey t-shirt. Cursing, she stood up and returned with a small towel on her hand._

_Her eyes widened when she saw the shirtless Ichigo who was trying to wash his beloved t-shirt at her sink._

_She could tell that he went to gym sometime, according to his well-toned body and his muscular arms. He has a six pack and he was obviously loved to shave._

"_I-Ichigo, why don't you put your shirt on?" asked a try-to-not-blushing-like-crazy-fan-girls Rukia as she gave Ichigo the towel._

"_WHY?!" his voice raised in annoyed tone, "You asked why after you pour almost all your wine all over me?! Gee, Rukia, I asked because I was just too curios, you didn't have to make a stain on my favourite t-shirt."_

_She glared at him, "Well, I was just too shocked, k? It had been ages since someone asked about Nii-sama."_

_He was—once again—left dumbstruck, did Rukia just call Kuchiki Byakuya Nii-sama?_

"_But first, you need a dry t-shirt," she continued._

"_I believe you live here alone?"_

"_My cousin was here last week, doing some research in Tokyo. He left some of his clothes here in case he comes here again sometime. You can use it, since I'm a _midget _and all, it's obvious your carrot-head won't even pass through the top of my PJs."_

_Ichigo nodded and changed into a baggy black t-shirt. He found her sat cross-legged and a ... wait, was that Chappy the Bunny crap thing printed on her thick blanket that wrapped around her tiny body?!_

_The moonlight shone through her now open windows and it made her looked more pale than ever. Her milky white skin shining like a gem but she also seemed like waiting for her shining armor to come rescue her from the evil witch._

_Little did he hope that he _was _her knight in shining armor._

_He sat beside her cross-legged and he was shocked when the warm of Chappy the Bunny blanket hugged him._

"_Rukia, it's embarassing."_

"_Huh?"_

"_It's Chappy the Bunny blanket, Rukia, Chappy the Bunny. My reputation will be ruined if anyone sees me using Chappy the Bunny crap thing."_

_Rukia smacked him hard, "Don't ever think to insult Chappy!"_

"_But it sure is crap."_

_She smacked him again, harder._

_And he only groaned in pain. Hands massaging his bruised head._

"_Anyways, what about my question earlier?" he asked._

"_I'll tell you from the very beginning. Hope you don't mind."_

"_Sure, go on."_

"_Ok, here we go," she took a deep breath, "I lived with my sister when my parents died. Her name was Hisana and she was only 18 back then. After make sure that I could live with her, she decided to drop out from school and working. Saving her money for my education. Nee-san worked for Nii-sama and their friendship grew into a lovers relationship. But that was the time when Nee-san got ill. She had this heart disease. But I was only 10. I didn't understand things like that. So as she did her therapy, I was left alone in Kuchiki Manor. "_

"_Rukia, if it was so hard for you to tell me what happened after that, you don't really have to." He cut her word off._

_She looked at him deeply in the eyes, "I—I—"_

_She never finished that sentence as her tears burst out. She was half-crying and half-laughing._

_Ichigo raised his eyebrows._

"_I—I know it might sounds weird but it was really fun."_

"_Huh?"_

"_I mean, seeing your expression when I told you about my past was really funny! You left your usual scowl for goodness sake!"_

"_Oh my God..."_

"_What?" she asked, almost rolling on the floor._

"_It's already midnight." He pointed his thumb to her clock._

_Rukia stood up, offering him her tiny hand._

"_I don't think your tiny hand can actually hold mine." He said as he also stood up, covering the moonlight to her sight._

_She crossed her arms just under her chest as she said, "I take that as an insult."_

"_Oh, come on, Rukia. I was just joking."_

_She glared at him, giving him her coldest glare, "Give me something so I can forgive you."_

_He thought for a second and then suddenly, she could feel the warmness of his lips touched her cheek for a split second._

_He blushed a little before making his way to her living room, "Hope you don't mind that one, Dark Princess."_

_She stood there, speechless, did Kurosaki Ichigo just give her a peck on cheek?_

_Yeah, it might meant nothing to some people, but it was meant something to her._

_Because she was—even though she hardly admit it—highly interested on him._

_When she heard her front door opened, she followed him into the lift._

_They both walked side by side until they reached Ichigo's car. Shuuhei was still sleeping inside. Without a word, Ichigo unlocked the car and just when he was about to get inside, two tiny hands wrapped him from behind._

_It was, _obviosly_, Rukia's._

_He didn't know what to do until he remembered one of Shuuhei's advice about woman to him, '_Hug back them when they hug you. Especially from behind. Don't forget to rock back and forth their back, Ichigo, most women love it.', _so he turned his back and replied her hug in the same way._

_She was a bit surprised of his action but then she hugged him tighter and said, "Thank you for tonight, Ichigo."_

_The next thing he knew, her pink and kissable lips were on his cheek._

Someone outside his door seemed to love ruining his perfect Monday morning. The bell rang again and again and again he was groaned in anger. He walked pass through the still-sleeping Shuuhei inside another bedroom and opened the door.

His eyebrows furrowed.

Who the heck was that guy?

The guy stood before him was a year younger than himself. He had red maroon hair which was a little longer than his and he wore black sunglasses. His clothes were casual and a suitcase he was holding told Ichigo that he was just hopped off the plane.

"Who are you?" asked Ichigo, giving the man his usual scowl.

The maroon haired man opened his sunglasses and bowed a bit, "I'm sorry, may I meet Kurosaki Ichigo?"

"You are speaking with he himself," replied Ichigo, "but I still don't know your name."

"Ah, I'm sorry again, my name is Kano Ashido," he offered him his right hand, "Lead actor for Hisagi-san's new movie. I went to his apartment but apparantely he was not there and then the security told me that he might be here and they gave me your address. Is Hisagi-san here?"

Ichigo took a deep breath and let Ashido to come inside.

"Shuuhei's sleeping. I'll woke him up. Feel free to look around."

---

Ashido was busy admiring a painting when he heard a footsteps behind him. He turned and saw Hisagi Shuuhei clad only in simple white t-shirt and a pirate-jolly roger boxer.

"Yo, Ashido."

Ashido bowed a little, "Good Morning, Hisagi-san. I'm sorry if I wake you up."

"It's okay," he yawned and pointed his finger to the sofa beside him, telling Ashido to sit, "Just got a little hangover here. Bit of dizzy, though, but sober enough to talk to you."

They sat side by side and Shuuhei continued, "Well, since Ichigo will be out to college and I don't think he'll let us staying here any longer, we better go to my place or find you a hotel first."

"Urm, Hisagi-san, when exactly I can meet up with the lead actress?"

Shuuhei thought for a while, "I think you can meet her tomorrow or the day after. I'll text Rangiku first and we're gonna arrange a meeting between you two. I'm sure you'll like her. She's the perfect actress for her role this one."

---

The wind of Tuesday's afternoon was never left the now winter Tokyo. Rukia zipped in her favourite violet coat as her toes made their way to her apartment. It was a long day since Rangiku mumbling about her meeting with the lead actor while she was trying to make a word from the letters U-M-B-E-L-M.

She waved to the 50-years-of-marriage couple whose room was not too far from hers and they always told her that she was like their own child.

Her iPhone buzzing inside her breast pocket and just when she put her hand inside the said pocket, she saw Shiba Kaien stood before the black limousine.

He waved to her and Rukia only stood there dumbstruck. Kaien-dono only visited her on special occasion and as far as she knew, her brother was not sick neither he was dead.

Okay, scratch that.

She was not thinking about the death of her Nii-sama.

Rukia sped up to him and said, "Kaien-dono, is something happen back in Manor?" her voice sounded corcern.

Kaien put a hand on her shoulder, "Nah, nothing bad's happening. But Kuchiki-sama wants to see you."

Her eyes widened in shock. She had forgotten about calling Nii-sama and told him about her newest movie thanks to the mind-numbling breath-taking orange-haired Kurosaki Ichigo.

---

Kuchiki Manor was a building that looked exactly like an old castle. From outside, it had the cold and mysterious atmosphere and inside, it never got any better. Everyone knew that the Kuchiki was always a wealthy family. But they also knew that Kuchiki Byakuya, the current clan leader, was always an earth-concerned person.

There were a loads of tree and plants at the yard. He didn't want people think that he was one of the earth-enemy by making polution but never do something for the mother earth.

Rukia and Kaien walked in silence as he opened the front door. There was a big picture of the late wife of Byakuya, Kuchiki Hisana, and there were also lots of the late current leaders of Kuchiki clan pictures hanging on the wall.

_Great, _she thought, _I'm back to this hell_.

She never consider the Manor as her home. She lived there, yes, but she never called it as home. It was hell for her. Though Byakuya never hurt her physically or mentally, she always hated this place, this manor, where every corner and every room inside were reminded her of Hisana.

She never blaimed Byakuya for her sister's death. She should be thanked him for paying Hisana's medical teraphy.

But still, she never liked this place.

She left the manor freely when she was 18. Old enough to paid for her own life and start college. Byakuya was—obviously—againts her idea. He had promised Hisana to keep her safe. To always keep an eye on her. But when she convinced him by saying that she would be staying with Rangiku at first then find her own apartment, he let her go. By giving her too much money she had to take. He wouldn't let her go if she didn't take the money.

Two years later, she was still Geidai's student but she was also a breaktrough actress.

Her first role was the rich yet humble secret girlfriend of the main man role. She wasn't the main role but the spotlight went to her, leaving both the main role forgotten by public.

Both Rukia and Rangiku never really thought that her first movie would get so much attention, plus she was a new actress on the stage.

She was only played in 3 box-office movies but now she was one of the hottest young actress whose face never gone from teenage magazines or movie magazines.

And now, she was ready to give her breaking role at her upcoming movie. A role that could led her to Hollywood, where most actress was dying to had a carrer there.

Her thought was interrupted by someone's footstep that coming closer to her. She twisted her body swiftly and met eye-to-eye with her Nii-sama.

She was the one who break the eye contest, er, contact, and bowed, trying to keep her voice calm, "Good afternoon, Nii-sama."

Byakuya only nodded and told Rukia in silence to follow him to his work office.

She followed him and when he sat on his chair, Rukia took a seat before him, hands on her lap.

"Rukia, I heard that you have an upcoming movie." There, he was always talked to the point. There were never a bla-bla-bla-yadda-yadda meaningless words from his mouth.

"Yes, Nii-sama. I'm sorry for not telling you days ago."

"I can understand. You might busy playing with Matsumoto and your new director rather than calling me and tell me about your newest project."

He knew how to annoyed her and push her button out of limit.

"May I know who's the director?" he continued.

Rukia took a deep breath before titling her head and said, "He's Hisagi Shuuhei."

Byakuya nodded a little and if he owned a long white beard like one of her professor, Yamamoto-sensei, had, he probably had his hand playing with it.

"Hisagi Shuuhei who directed the documenter movie, _Say Hello to Undercover World_?"

"Yes, Nii-sama."

"I've seen his movie. He has his own style of directing movie."

"Yes, Nii-sama. That is why I took his offer for being the main role."

"What _exactly_ is your role? I don't want you ended up playing some slut in your movie."

"I always concern about my role, Nii-sama," she paused, trying to catch some air which somehow had become less the moment she stepped inside the room, "I can't tell you about my role but I need you to trust me that I really like the role I'm going to play."

---

Hours passed by when Shiba Kaien and Shiba Miyako heard Rukia's light footsteps approaching the kitchen they were currently in.

Rukia turned to Kaien, "Kaien-dono, I need a ride home."

Kaien quickly finished his coffee and gave Miyako a peck on the lips before turning to Rukia, "Let's go. You look more miserable than a child who just lost her lollipop."

---

A guy stood alone before his photos-from-up-to-bottom wall and a murderous look never left his face.

He was angry, of course. Who didn't angry after seeing his dream woman shared a hug with an unknown guy. In an intimate way, for making things much worse.

He was there, sitting inside his car with his infamous camera in hand. Ready to capture another photo of her when she stepped outside from her apartment building with a guy.

The light was dim but he could capture the guy's basic look.

Tanned skin, honey-amber eyes, bright orange hair, scowl on his face, plus muscular and tall body.

While his dream woman was everything opposite of the guy.

White milk pale skin, blue-violet eyes, raven hair, cold face, and a midget body.

Such a perfect combination.

Even he had to admit it, as much as he hated to actually admit that they looked perfect to each other.

Despite the difference of their height.

Believe it or not, she was only up to his collarbone.

Nevertheless, he couldn't let them together.

No matter what it cost.

Since Kuchiki Rukia was his.

---

A/N : wooaaa, thanks for all who have reviewed :) *bows

soo yeah, ashido is the lead actor and well, sorry for not revealing who the paparazzi is haha

anyways, my friend told me that i should've enable the anymous reviews so yes, even if you don't have an username here, you can review :)))

she's also thanked me for using her name on rukia's previous movie i mentioned on chapter 1 lol

special thanks to Hekka, star133, Aly Dee, Pin Needle, glon morski, MrsKurosaki x, KH 777, angelic33, Jeschura, GoddessAngela, and luvrukia.

also thanks to my friends who have read the story and my sisters too *i think i thanked _too_ many people haha

hope you'll like it and well, fyi, i think this fanfic won't be a more-than-10-chapters since i don't wanna get lost on its original story line.

ohhh, well, kaien and miyako are dead in bleach but i think it won't hurt to have all Shibas in the story haha

about the IchiRuki stuff, i'm sorry if it goes _too _early for you. as i said before, the timeline is quiet fast and well, what can i say? i can't stop my self to not write their moment. sorry for the OOC-ness [i'll try to not let them be OOC since i kinda don't like it but.. well, sorry if they are OOC]

toods,

kunoichi1409

p.s temporary home is a very good song, check it out!! :)


	3. Gossip Blooms when Snow Drops

**Disclaimer : I own nothing.**

**Paparazzi Incident**

by kunoichi1409

**Chapter Three – Gossip Blooms when Snow Drops**

_on the night like this, I have so many things I wanna tell you_

_On the Night Like This, Mocca_

Detective Abarai Renji was lucky enough to have a partner like Arisawa Tatsuki. She was not a feminine type of girl who would spend her time in front of mirror only to make sure that her hair was neat and her lipstick was not ruined after her make-out session with her boyfriend.

No, Arisawa Tatsuki was the black-belt holder in karate.

And that was the main reason why he enjoyed working with the dark haired woman. She was very friendly despite her always-intimidating-face. She was his bestfriend.

Yet soon, their friendship could grow into something which led to different partner.

He was driving inside his police car and Tatsuki was sleeping beside him in front seat. It had been a long day for them, many cases filled their desk. Sure, two months before the end of the year always had been a very busy day for them. Cases seemed to flew effortlessly pass them and they—being one of the best duo detectives at Tokyo—had to take care of it.

Troublesome, obviously.

They just passed the TomoKuchi Store when he heard a gun shot from inside. Tatsuki woke up abruptly and her hand went to her gun.

"What was that?" she asked with her usual cold police voice.

Renji turned their car and turned on the siren. "Gun shot from TomoKuchi."

He parked the car not long after and they both got out in the same time.

They walked inside and saw two teenage boys pointed their gun to the old owner. He was bleeding but it seemed that the boys didn't shoot his vital part of body. His daughter, the young girl with a red hair, put her hand in front of his father's stomach and tried to stop the bleeding.

Her face was full with fear and her body was shaking.

One boy told her to 'put all the money inside the bag or i'll shoot your dad again' and she was just about to do what she told when Tatsuki gave the boy a swift kick on his head. Before the other boy could even turn his head, Renji circled his hand around the poor boy's neck and put the gun beside his head.

In less than 30 seconds, handcuffs were trapping both boys' hand and Tatsuki had called the ambulance to take care of the owner. She was trying to calm the daughter down and Renji was helping the guys there to tidy up the store.

When he walked passed the magazines section, his eyes caught a photo of Kuchiki Rukia being every magazine's headline.

He took one of them and his eyes widened at the photo.

There, Kuchiki Rukia was hugging a mysterious man.

_Spotted at her apartement basement! Little Princess Kuchiki Rukia hugged a stranger!_

_Does Little Princess finally find her prince in shining armor?_

_Kuchiki Rukia, 22, was spotted hugging a mysterious man on Sunday night at her apartement basement._

_A hug from Kuchiki Rukia to a mysterious man in an intimate way!_

He let out a deep breath and smiled. He had lost contact with her even since she left the Kuchiki Manor. His childhood friend was now an actress and he was now a detective.

They were both quite famous in their own way, but they seemed too busy to even try to look for each other's number.

He loved her when he was little. He always did. But it seemed that she never loved him the way he wanted her to.

She loved him as her _real _big brother. While he wanted her to be the one walking down the aisle in a beautiful white wedding gown.

But now, he had Tatsuki.

Though he hadn't admit his feeling for her yet, he knew that someday, he could find the perfect time to let those three magical words slipped out from his mouth.

---

It was already 10 pm but Ichigo was starving. He just came back from Karakura after his Old Man called him and said, "Ichigo, Yuzu is siiiiiiiiiick!!!!!!!!! Come here!!!!"

The truth was, Yuzu was alright. She had a little cold but she was still health enough to do her usual things inside his former home. Even since their mother died, Yuzu always been the one who take care about housewife's job while he and Karin helped their Dad at the clinic.

People said they were a happy family.

But inside, he knew that the lost of their mother never left their memories.

He tried so hard to erase the night when his mom died but it still haunted him. He was only 9 when his mom died, and his sisters were only 4. They were too little to lost someone precious to them. Even his Dad couldn't hold his tears any longer when he knew that his beloved wife was gone.

It had been 16 years since the sadest incident of their family but he still blamed himself.

Back to reality, he got out from his car and went to the nearest mini market to buy some instant food he could eat. He bought some green tea—he kept his words to Yuzu who angry to him when she found out that her o-nii-chan consumed coffee a lot—and some canned food when someone screamed, yes, _screamed_ inside a minimarket at 10 fucking pm, "OH MY GOOOOOOD!!! KUCHIKI RUKIA HUGGED A MYSTERIOUS MAAANNN!!!!"

It turned out to be his super-annoying ginger-haired and big-breasted neighbour, Inoue Orihime. She was kind, in fact, she was _too _kind and pretty smart but somehow her over attention to him only annoyed him.

In less than he could say the word 'shut up', Orihime's body had been out of sight since there were so many people surrounding her. Ichigo—being tall as always—could easily take one of the magazine and read the article.

At that time, the only word crossed his mind was, "Fuck."

---

Although she had the worst day back in Tuesday when she was forced to visit her former home, Rukia was definitely more annoyed today. She hoped that her usual Wednesday would go _normal_ and at 7 pm, she had a meeting with Kano Ashido.

But what came to her the next morning was her true _worst _nightmare.

There, she saw her own photo hugging none other than Kurosaki Ichigo himself.

She hugged him on Sunday, but the photo just came out on her perfect Wednesday.

The result? She was being the main gossip inside her own apartment.

It seemed that everywhere she walked, people would always talk about her and wondering who was her so-called knight in shining armor. Everytime people asked her, she would only let out a small smile and said, "He's nobody. It's just a friendly hug. I'm barely know him. The media just make it overwhelming."

Exactly at 7 pm, Rukia made her way inside the coffee café Rangiku had told her before. Thanks to the gossip about her, she had to cover up. She wore a long black coat and a flat cotton boots that covered most of her lower body until the only part of her leg which exposed was her knees. She also put a black sunglasses—who said you can't wear _sun_glasses on winter?—and the wintercap covering the top of her sunglasses.

When she was inside, she could see Ashido reading the same magazine she had been trying so hard to avoid since the sun poking its head on the curtain.

Without another word, she sat before him and he put his magazine on the table.

"So," he said, a little nervous tone on his voice, "you're Kuchiki Rukia?"

Rukia opened her sunglasses and showed him her gorgeous violet eyes, "Indeed, I am. And you must be Kano Ashido."

They shook hand and no longer after that they ordered some food.

"Kuchiki-san—"

She cut him off, "Oh, please, just call me Rukia."

"Rukia," he said, nervous no longer on his voice, but curiosity replaced it, "who was the guy you hug?"

She chocked, "What?! Who?!"

Ashido took his magazine and showed it right in front of her eyes, "This guy, Rukia."

"Oh, he's nobody."

_Was it true that he's nobody, Rukia? _her inner self confused her.

They were only met once. Was it even _possible _if a woman attacted to a guy she just met once?

---

A month went by as the winter started its domination. Snow covering all Tokyo and the Sun was hardly showed its shine even in the noon. Rukia and Shuuhei were busy with the upcoming movie while Ichigo had to study hard in Todai.

But despite their difference kind of busy, Ichigo and Rukia grew closer.

Started with a simple missed call Ichigo gave her the day after she met Ashido, they often call each other when they had spare time. Even in late time.

They hadn't met again, since they were busy and all, but they always kept contacting each other via email and video chatting. Poor Ichigo, he had to witness Rukia's upper body when she forgot to minimize the camera just after she came out from the bathroom, only wearing her bra and short pants.

He had to use a full box of tissues just to make sure that there was no blood left at his nose.

On Shuuhei's case, he was giving his best for this movie. He worked so hard and turned all his energy into directing. And he could tell that he chose the perfect actors for each roles.

Rukia, as the lead actress, was playing Erza Egniel, the just-graduated bitchy witch from the Magic Academy in Elfwand. She was very talented but her personality was too _bitchy_. She put her price too _high _for someone who just graduated. That was what made no company wanted to hire her. But when a big price came from the forgotten wizard, Jacques Sanniere, she gladly took his offer to together destroy Elfwand.

Ashido, on other hand, was playing the young and talented wizard, Hansel Eidelmann. He was a jerk just like Erza but he was in the good side. He owned the most famous Magic Store in whole Elfwand and together with other wizards and witches, he fought Jacques and Erza.

For the story of 'Dark Princess' itself, Shuuhei was a bit of shocked when he read it for the first time. It was rare when the lead actress wasn't the heroine. It turned out that Erza was the antagonist one. But Keigo Asano, the script-writer, believed that people were looking for something new. So at the end, Shuuhei agreed with him.

The shooting was going pretty good and all actors gave their best for their role. Hirako Shinji left his usual happy-go-lucky character and showed his 'dark' side via Jacques Sanniere. While his girlfriend, Sarugaki Hiyori, played Mira Husselhoff—Hansel's step-sister—flawlessly.

Everything went too well and they never thought something bad was gonna happen.

---

"Rukia, have you buy a dress for Hisagi-san's christmas party?" asked Ashido as he ate his pancake.

It was two days before christmas and Shuuhei—along with Rangiku—decided to held an all-crew party. Rangiku offered her home so the party was officially on.

Rukia took a sip of her hot chocolate, "I haven't. I think I'm just gonna look for something in my closet. It's not a good habit if you buy one dress for every party you attend. Such a waste of money."

"You're right," he paused, trying to swallowed another pancake, "Is Ichigo coming?"

She choked, "I dunno. I'm not his mother or something. You oughta ask Hisagi-san."

"Hmm, I hope he comes."

"Why?"

"I wanna meet him in person. And anyway, you should pick up a sexy dress for him."

"ASHIDO!" her cheeks blushed madly. Heck, she was not the blushing type but somehow, that orange-haired guy could turn her face to ten different shades of red.

"What? I can tell you have a crush on him by the way your eyes sparkled when you talked about him." He grinned.

"Don't make me call your girlfriend in London and ask her to come." An evil smirk on her lips, "And my eyes never _sparkled _when I talked about him."

His eyes widened. They were now friend and when she told him about her and Ichigo, he also told her about him and his girlfriend overseas, Senna.

Senna was a pretty woman and a friendly one. But somehow, she often annoyed him.

They had to thanked God since their friendship won't led into the angry and jealous Senna.

---

Two days went by and it was christmas. The day when most people went to their parents' home and celebrate together. The day when there were a lot of christmas tree situated inside their home with a star on its top and a wreath with a red bow hanging on their door. The day when kids waiting for Santa and hoping to get a toy from him. And, obviously, the day when the christmas party Shuuhei and Rangiku hosted was officially held.

Grimmjow Jeagerjaques was a tall and muscular man. He had the intimidating look painted everyday on his face and a bright blue hair. Even without a tattoo, he was so much a perfect resemblance of a gangster. His voice was cold and showed no mercy to those annoyed him.

He was only looking for a can of beer when he saw none other than his dream woman walking side by side with a maroon-haired guy outside the minimarket. He quickly paid his beer and got inside his car. Luckily for him, the guy's car was parked not too far from his so he could easily followed them.

Kuchiki Rukia was there, wearing a very cute, yet sexy on his eyes, santa coat. And the guy who was driving also dressed into a fancy clothes for party. He took out his infamous camera and a small smile painted on his lips.

Tonight would be a great night if he could take a hundred photo of her dressed in that clothes.

---

The party went smoothly and Shuuhei acted like he was the owner of the house. Dressed in a simple black t-shirt with a rolled-up sleeves jacket, he amazed every woman there with his womanizer skill. His grey jeans and black sneakers companied his way to every woman in the house.

Rangiku, as happy as she always be, chose a simple pale green long dress that hugged her curved body perfectly. She greeted everyone with a big smile on her face. But still, she was waiting for her best friend who was apparently nowhere to be seen.

A christmas song called 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' from David Archuleta warmed the party's atmosphere. David's amazing voice amazed everyone in there, even the always-mocking-people Shiba Kukkaku couldn't find a word to bash him. Rangiku enjoyed his voice as much as Rukia did. It seemed like what Rukia liked, was something Rangiku liked too.

Expect for the boys. They had somewhat different type of guy to be by their side every day.

Keigo was busy admiring the big christmas tree beside him when there were two people's footsteps could be heard approaching them from the living room. The room felt awkwardly silence until Keigo finally shouted, "RUKIA-CHAAAN!! YOU'RE LATE!!" and made his way to give Rukia a hug.

Rukia only smiled a little when Rangiku came to save her from the perverted Keigo and gave Rukia a quick hug.

"Your coat is too cute, Ru." She said as she put her hand on Rukia's shoulder, revealing her Santa coat.

"Thanks, Ran. Gotta thanks Nii-sama for this." They walked together to take some drinks.

Rangiku gave her a sly look, "Tell me, since when exactly Kuchiki-sama decided to give you such a sinful coat? I never thought he was the type of guy who would gave his little sister a coat like this."

Rukia chuckled, "_Sinful_ coat? It's Santa coat, for goodness sake."

"Damn right," she took a sip of her drink, "but it fits your body _too _perfectly I'm sure when a guy looks at you, he's undressing you."

"You hung around Keigo too much, hon. It's christmas, we suppose to somewhat—"

Her words were cut off when Kurosaki Ichigo suddenly appeared like a wizard just apparate himself.

Something that made a butterfly suddenly flying inside her stomach was the way he dressed---why in the whole fucking world he had to look so _sexy _wearing a full-frame glasses and clad in doctor coat.

Yes, glasses.

And yes, _doctor _coat.

His breath was rushed. One hand holding a long black coat while the other one holding what looked like his car key.

Feeling all stares towards him, he let out his bad boy smirk—his neighbour, Orihime, was somehow telling every single person inside the apartment that the _sexy _smirk of him was only for her, annoying woman—and said, "Sorry, I'm late. Got some traffic jam out there."

Shuuhei was the one who walked towards him and said, "It's okay, dude. The party was just started."

The party once again continued. When Ichigo walked towards Rangiku's kitchen which, somehow, had turned into a mini bar with a real bartender. He knew who the bartender guy was, he spent his high school years together with him.

"Hey, Chad."

Yasutora Sado nodded his head and made a drink for Ichigo. Ichigo thanked him and his eyes caught a midget raven-haired woman walked towards the balcony, as if she was leaving the party.

Without another word, he drank his drinks in one sip and walked after her.

---

Grimmjow was freezing. Hell, even with a thick blanket around his entire huge body, he was still freezing. He sat on top of his car and held his camera in both hand. The party seemed went quiet well and he was happy to see her but when his eyes caught the previous guy's car, he had to gritted his teeth.

And he had to stop himself to go inside and punch the life outta him when he saw the guy followed his dream woman outside to the balcony.

If that freaking guy dared to lay a finger on _his_ Rukia, he would make the guy paid for that.

---

Rukia walked silently to the balcony, feeling the need to talk to him—she was sure that he followed her outside. She sat on the wooden fence and lifted her legs as she rested her head on it.

Sighning, she wondered if he would actually follow her outside and had a little chat with her. They hardly talked to each other since the 'exposed chest' accident.

True enough, the moment later, the door opened, revealing Ichigo himself, still clad on his doctor coat and his glasses.

Rukia stood up, walking towards him and giving him a hug.

That was when he started to feel a butterfly inside his stomach. _Oh fuck, I do NOT get butterfly inside my stomach, _he thought.

He looked down, due to her midget body, and gave her a peck on her cheek.

She smacked him and he had to admit that her little body meant nothing compared to her power to smack a big man like him. He sent her a what-the-fuck-is-that look and that was when he realized how lovely she was.

She wore a plain grey tank dress with a tiered skirt that went just above her knees. A white sneaker-wedges covering her also small legs and a white ribbon circled her head. She looked cute. She really was, and although he tried so hard to deny it, the only thing he wanted to do was kiss her.

"Ow, bitch! What was that for?" he asked, sitting himself upon a chair.

She sat beside him, after gave a kick to his... most private thing.

"For kissing me. And that one for calling me a bitch, jerk."

"I'm not _kissing _you."

"Then what will you call that?"

"It was only a peck, midget. A peck is not a kiss."

"Whatever."

They sat there. Trying to get something to talk about to get out from the awkward silence.

.....

.....

10 seconds passed and—

"Merry Christmas." They said at the same time, looking deeply into each other eyes.

They both laughed and she broke the laugh when she asked, "Why do you use glasses and doctor coat?"

It finally hit Ichigo. He stood up, unbuttoned his doctor coat with a 'Kurosaki Clinic' label printed on its left and revealing his well-made body clad in white short-sleeved shirt and a sleeveless 'Nice Vibes' sweater. He folded the coat neatly and took off his glasses. Giving her his amber eyes.

"Just got back from Karakura. Old man wanted me to visit him but it turned out that I _had _to help him in the clinic."

"You wear glasses?"

"Oh, this?" he pulled out his glasses from its place inside the coat's pocket, "Just for reading."

Rukia chuckled.

"Sounds like an old man, eh? But trust me, my sight is well enough to look at a beautiful woman like you." The words just slipped from his mouth whether he realized it or not.

And when Rukia's eyes widened, he stood up, made his way to the door back to the party, "I need a glass of drink."

---

Rukia stood there alone, trying to get her mind right.

Did the Kurosaki Ichigo just _flirt _her? Whether he realized it or not.

_**Bring him back. NOW.**_

_What? Are you freakin' crazy? And why the hell you have to come out right now? Shoo, go back to your tomb._

_**I'm still you, genius. I won't be dead unless you're dead too. Anyways, don't you realize he was trying so hard to not kiss you?**_

_Huh?_

_**You're too dense for your own good.**_

_What the hell are you talking about?_

_**You're **_**interested **_**in him**_.

_I am not!_

_**Yes, you are, my other side. So just grab his collar, got your back against the wall, and make out with him.**_

_Make—? ARE YOU NUTS? I'm not a she-pervert like you._

_**I'm part of you, hon.**_

_Go-away-from-my-mind-now._

Her mind processing what her somewhat perverted side said.

She hated to admit it, but somehow, that side was right.

So Rukia made her way back to the party with a crazy idea on her mind.

---

Ichigo was sitting at the mini bar, was talking to Chad, and was about to drink another wine when two tiny hands grabbed his hand and drag him towards the balcony.

_Whatever happens to this midget? _He thought.

As soon as they arrived at the said balcony, she pushed him hard against the wall and forced his head to level with her own. Ichigo grunted, she was only up to his collarbone and she tried to level their height? He was sure he got some bruises on his neck.

"Listen, _Kurosaki,_" she said, eyes looking directly at him, "you are not playing me."

He tried to straighten up his head but the said _bitch_ held his collar too tightly.

"Rukia..." he started, "I—Christ, midget, what the hell is wrong with you?!" his voice raised in an annoyed tone.

"What you said earlier..... did you really mean it?"

He looked eagle-way to her, "What?"

She seemed mad at him when she let go of his collar, taking a few step backward. Her hands on either side of her hips when she said, "_That _sentence, you moron. Did you _really _think that I'm a be—beautiful woman?" a pink blushed brushed away her usual white skin on her cheeks.

Ichigo stared at her, his cheeks blushed. _Fuck, I DO NOT BLUSH, _he cursed. He gulped, "O—of course I didn't, midget. Who will think a bitch like you a beautiful woman, eh?"

"Oh, really?" she walked towards him, playing her eyes flirtatiously. She pushed him down onto the cair and he could feel his forgotten doctor coat beneath him. "What if..." she was hovering him, closing the space between them as she peck him lightly on the lips, "I wanna keep doing _that _?" She continued, crossing her hands on her chest and a devil smirk planted on her lips.

"You've got to be kidding me," he said, the strawberry-mint taste of her lips still linger on his lips.

Because being a healthy 25-year-old guy with an extremely attractive woman hovering him was not something Kurosaki Ichigo expected on Christmas Eve.

He stood up, hovering her and pushed her hard. She had to walk backward until her back met the cold wooden fence. His head was down, as if he was thinking something. His bangs of orange hair covered his eyes from her sight and when she was about to say something, his hands grabbed both her waist and lifted her as if she was as light as a feather. He put her silently upon the said fence and before she could smack him and shout at him, she could feel the warmth his mouth on her own.

Her hands tried to pushed him off of her but it turned out to be a failure. He licked her bottom lips as he was begging for a entrace. But she was not going to give up. She lifted her leg and kick his crotch again. He broke the kiss, yelping in pain and glared at her.

"What the fuckis that for, midget?!"

"What the _fuck _do you think you're doing, jerk?!"

"As clear as a water can be, I was kissing you, genius."

"And as deep as a sea can be, _Strawberry_, you have no permission to kiss me!! Let alone harassed me sexualy."

"Har—WHAT?!"

"Kissing people without their permission is harassment, Ichigo."

"Really?" he asked with his playful voice—how he ended up using that kind of voice was beyond his mind—and brought his head closer to her. Hands grabbing her chin and forced her to look at him.

Her heart beat was started to rush when she could feel his hot breath against her own. He looked at her lips and said, "Well, you see, _Kuchiki," _he began to gave her lips a light kiss as his left hand left her chin and teasing her now exposed thigh. "I do all of—" her eyes closed as his lips went down to taste her flawless neck, "this thing—" he sucked lightly on her skin, "because of—" her hands circled themselves to his neck, playing his wild orange hair with her fingers while his other hand also left her chin and swiftly circled her slim waist, "you..." he ended his word as he crashed his lips hard to her. Once again asking for entrance and just when she was about to let him—

BOOM!

Rukia quickly broke the kiss and stood up. "What was that?" she asked as she eyed the annoyed Ichigo.

He said nothing as he took his doctor coat and said, "Whatever it is, it ruins my perfect chance."

"What _chance_, you perv." She glared at him.

"Look who's talking, a girl that actually _enjoyed_ it," he said half-mocking, hand grabbing the door knob and walked in.

Rukia followed him and found the almost-broken kitchen. "What's going on?" she asked Shuuhei.

"Kukkaku did something. I don't know what but somehow it explode. And the result is this broken kitchen." He pointed his thumb to the really messed up kitchen.

Rangiku—the owner of said broken kitchen—told them 'it was okay' and they could continue the party but Rukia disagree with her, "We should tidy your kitchen up, hon."

"I'll do it with her," Shuuhei suddenly said, getting a loads of cold glare saying 'you-better-not-doing-horrible-things-to-Rangiku' from the guys except Ichigo and smirked a little, "you guys can go home. We'll be fine."

Moments later, after a lots of goodbyes and merry christmas, Rangiku turned her head to Ichigo and Rukia, "I don't think you can sleep here tonight, Ru. Ichigo, can you please drive her home?"

The guy said nothing but nodded anyway, avoiding the evil grin on Shuuhei's face as he mouthed 'fuck-off' and Rukia replied, "I can take a cab and Ichigo won't have to drive me home, my apartment is far from both here and his own."

But the orange-strawberry haired woman kept on saying, "Oh, no no no no, you're a girl and also an actress too, it's not safe for you to take a cab alone in this hour." She said as her fingers pointed to the clock behind them, telling them it was already 10 pm.

"For Merlin's beard, Ran, it's not like there's an assassin following me anyway."

"No, Rukia," Shuuhei said, using his cold director voice, "Ichigo will drive you home."

Rukia was about to say something when Shuuhei spoke again, "Call me if he's trying to _convince _you to sleep with him. I'll beat him up."

Ichigo suddenly grabbed Rukia's tiny hand and walked towards the front door. Rukia moaned in pain as she said, "You don't have to worry, I'll beat him up myself Hisagi-san."

When they finally arrived at Ichigo's car and he saw her wearing that cute santa coat, he doubted he could stop himself for keeping Rukia all night long inside his apartment.

---

The car went slowly as he turned on the CD player and it began to play another David Archuleta's song.

_I've been alone so many nights now, and I've been waitin' for the stars to fall_

_I keep holdin' out for what I don't know, to be with you_

_Just to be with you_

Rukia gasped in silence, he couldn't be in _purpose_ for playing the song, right?

"I never know you have a music taste like this. All slow and romantic song." Said Rukia as she felt herself humming the song that had been kept safely in her memory even since the first time she bought his album.

He smirked a little as the car stopped when he eyed the red on the traffic light, "Yuzu is his fan. She kept on telling me how good his voice is so well, I ended up remembering all his songs too."

_So here I am starin' at the moon light, wonderin' how you look in this light_

_Maybe you're somewhere thinkin' about me too_

_To be with you, there's nothing I wouldn't do_

Ichigo drove the car towards Rukia's apartment and just when he about to turn left, he said, "I think I see lots of people surrounding the front door."

Rukia titled her body and saw lots of people with both camera and mic standing in front of the front door. It seemed they had heard about Shuuhei's party after all. They might also hoping that she would come home with a rich hunk—Ichigo _was_ a rich hunk anyway—and then saying that he was her boyfriend and stuff.

Sometimes, the gossip-hunters were so annoying.

"How far is your apartment from here?" asked Rukia as she sat down and opened her purse, taking a big black sunglasses and wore it.

Ichigo drove backwards and stopped his car just behind a big tree situated near her apartment, "Quite far from here. Why?"

"I think I have to crash there for tonight."

---

A/N : sooo what d'ya think? is the paparazzi unpredictable? LOL. sorry if i somehow dissapoint you, but well, what can i say?

oh, to those who don't understand the 'suddenly appeared like a wizard just apparate himself' part, you should read Harry Potter haha [yeah, i'm a huge fan of it] and yes, i'm an archangels and can't stop my self to use David Archuleta's songs haha.

for the names of Dark Princess characters, i got inspired from Fairy Tail by Hiro Mashima and from The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. oooo, forgot to mention that the 'photos-from-up-to-bottom wall' i put on chapter 2 was inspired from a movie called One Hour Photo.

if anyone expects a triangle-love of IchiRukiRen or IchiRukiKaien _or _IchiRukiAshido, sorry guys, i personally don't like it so why should i put it inside my story?

about the 'activity' IchiRuki did.... *put hands over my face in shame*... sorry if it goes too soon. and i tried to make it in a romantic but still IchiRuki way haha *with that cursing and kicking stuff you know*.

but i honestly still can't believe that i actually _wrote _that part __"

anyway, hope you'll still like the next chapters and thank you so much for reading and for the review

toods,

kunoichi1409

p.s mocca is an indonesian band but they sing english song, can't i promote my country's band? LOL, and the song Ichigo played inside his car is To Be With You by David Archuleta

p.p.s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 teaser trailer is out, why don't you check it out? it's not too long but still amazing haha, can't wait for this november :D


	4. Little Gift for the Princess

**Disclaimer : I own nothing.**

**Paparazzi Incident**

_by kunoichi1409_

**Chapter ****F****our – ****L****ittle ****G****ift for the ****P****rincess**

_one dark morning, she left without a warning_

_- I'm All Over It, Jamie Cullum_

The first thing Kurosaki Ichigo did the next morning was squintting his eyes as the sunshine loomed over his eyes. Who was the one who open his curtain anyway? He was alone with Rukia yesterday. So it probably Rukia---

The thought of Rukia made him hurriedly sat up, looking around his own room only to find no presence of said midget. He glanced at the clock and it turned out to be 7.17 am.

"Rukia?" he said, rubbing the back of his neck and stood up, walking towards his kitchen. Who knew she might be there, making him a cup of coffee.

But what came up was the empty kitchen.

He grunted. Where was she?

He made his way to his living room and take a look at his hanger.

Rukia's santa coat was gone and her purse was leaving his coffee table.

_She---left? But, why? We—holy shit, we didn't _do_ anything! Why would she left? _He thoght as he walked back to his bedroom and grabbed his iPhone. He called her number but it went to her voicemail.

"_Hey, you've reached Kuchiki Rukia's number but I'm currently not available. Please leave a message after the beep." _ Her voice rang in his mind.

If Rukia left, she better had a good reason.

---

_I know that he left you in pieces_

_You know that I won't be that way_

_I'm not gonna treat you like he did_

_Oh, whatever it takes_

_You think history is repeated_

_You keep on pushin' me away_

_Oh, but nothing's gonna change_

_Waiting for yesterday_

Shuuhei's voice could be heard from inside her bathroom. He showered himself while Rangiku was busy checking her security camera. They just had a party yesterday, who knew something happened?

Shuuhei walked outside the bathroom and grab a clean boxer—who knew where he got that—and a plain white V-neck t-shirt. He saw Rangiku inside a hidden room behind her bookshelf. He went to the kitchen and made two cups of coffee before storming through the hidden room.

"What is this?" he asked as he gave her her coffee and sat beside her. He could feel the smell of her just-got-out-from-shower hair and smirked. She looked so good in that thin nightgown she wore yesterday.

"My hidden room." She said without even looking at him. Hands busy checking a lot of videos.

He took a sip of his coffee and said, "I know. I mean, why in the world you have to have a hidden room inside your own home? You're not keeping a treasure here, are you?"

Rangiku chuckled. A _treasure_? He watched Indiana Jones too often. "Of course not, baka. Well, you see, I put some security camera and I just wanna check it."

"A security camera? For what?"

She looked like debating with her self before answering, "My ex is a total psychopath and I know he still into me and I just don't want him anymore in my life."

"Wow, hard to believe guys like that are still exist. You know—hey, hang on, Isn't that Rukia and Ichigo?" he pointed his finger to a video before them.

"Who?" Rangiku asked as she zoomed in the video and caught Rukia and Ichigo frenching each other.

Shuuhei let out his evil smirk to Rangiku and Rangiku could only laugh.

They both watched the video until Ichigo's and Rukia's ... activity was ruined by a sound BOOM.

"Duh, it seemed that we really ruined their moment." Said Rangiku as she swept a tear from her cheek.

Shuuhei chuckled, "We did the right thing, you know," Rangiku gave him a 'what-do-you-mean' look, "Who knew what would happen between them if we didn't stop them." He continued.

Oh man, to Shuuhei and Rangiku, this could be the perfect blackmail but if this video fell into Perez Hilton, it could be the carrer-wrecker for both Ichigo and Rukia.

Let us just hope this video was safe enough under the hand of Matsumoto Rangiku.

---

Rukia let out an aggravation sigh. She ran out of her iPhone's battery and she was still far from her apartment.

"Something bothering your mind, Miss Kuchiki?" asked the long-white-haired cab driver. A baseball cap covering his eyes from her sight as his hands rested on the steering wheel.

Rukia smiled a little, "Nah, you took the word right off my mouth, Mister—"

"Ukitake. Jushiro Ukitake, Miss." Jushiro smiled, turning his body into her sight and offering her his rigth hand.

She shaked his hand lightly and then something hit her mind, "Hang on, you're not Ukitake Jushiro the author of 'Living a Live with a Broken Heart Inside', are you?"

He nodded, "Indeed I am, Miss."

She was sure as hell that if she was on top of an empty hill, she would scream outta happiness.

"Are you kidding me? You're like—God, you're my favourite author! Your book is sooo good I can't stop to read it over and over and over again!!"

"Miss Kuchiki..." he said with a deep voice, as if he was her professor who was ready to gave her a detention.

"Yes?"

Jushiro looked at her towards the small mirror inside his cab, "I became a cab driver only to hear people's story, to get more inspiration about what real life is about, not to hear what they think about my book..."

Rukia blushed a little, "Ah, pardon my reaction, Mr. Ukitake."

"It's okay, Miss Kuchiki. Now do you mind sharing your little story with me?"

Rukia thought for a while before answering, "Well, there's a guy..."

"Ah, to be young again." Jushiro said as the cab turned left, still far from her apartment and he drove slowly as if he wanted to hear Rukia's story until its end.

"We—we only met one month ago and you see, me being an actress get a little too close with an unknown guy will only turn into gossip."

"Being a public attention is never easy, Miss Kuchiki—"

"Rukia. Just call me, Rukia."

"Well, as I said, being a public attention is never easy. You have to give them what they want, have to smile even though you are so tired, have to look happy but inside you're hurt, and other stuff like that."

"That's right. And, well, last night we went to christmas party out friends hosted and things went—different."

"I take that as you and he had _done _something."

Rukia shook her head, "No, we didn't do anything. I mean, I spent the night at his place, yes, and oh please Mr. Ukitake, don't give me _the _look."

Jushiro chuckled, "No, Rukia. I never give someone _the _look. So, now let's say that you regret something happened last night?"

Rukia looked at him via the mirror again, "No, Mr. Ukitake, I just—I'm confuse. And I obviously feel a little guilty."

"Guilty?" he raised his eyebrows. They were now only five blocks away from her apartment.

"I—I left before he woke up."

"Why would you left?" the car still went slowly. The snow outside them seemed the one who led the way across the empty road. It was the day after Christmas Eve, people might be still busy with their own problem and not bother to come outside only to meet another snowy road of Tokyo.

"I left because of two conditions." She felt like she was being interogated by the cops.

"May I know what are those?"

"Well, as I told you before, I'm just confuse. Whether what we did is right or not, I'm still confuse. He's really attractive, yes, but we only met one month ago and I doubt that kind of relationship will survive. And second..."

Jushiro caught the worry expression as he turned right, drove towards Rukia's apartment's front door.

"There's a mysterious box addressed to me."

"A... mysterious box?" Jushiro asked, once again lifted his eyebrows.

They arrived at the front door and when Rukia handed him some money, he took it with a smile and said, "You have to be very careful, Rukia. Most jealous people are after celebrities' private life and the mysterious box proofs it."

Rukia smiled at him and replied, "Thanks for the ride and for listening, Mr. Ukitake. And for your advice, I'm always careful.. I'm not a Kuchiki for nothing."

---

Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck was smart enough to enter the Tokyo University if she wasn't too eager of taking care of the family business. Though her parents kept on telling her that she wasted her 18 years of education by just being their apartment's manager in Tokyo—their business was a world-wide. She was now known as the youngest manager in entire Tokyo by the age of 21.

Her blue-green wavy hair was tied in messy ponytail and her hazel eyes skipped through the magazine before her. She was playing with her also messy bangs and checking funny videos on YouTube via her iPhone when she heard someone's light footsteps from the front door.

She was a funky and young manager—but she loved to spend her time with the reseptionist downstairs and had a chat with the people who lived at her apartment.

She looked up and walked towards said woman who just entered the apartment wearing that cute santa coat she had been willing to have even since she saw it.

"Rukia!" she said as she gave Rukia a bear hug and smiled.

"Hey, Nel." Rukia replied and her eyebrows furrowed. The morning after the Christmas Eve but this young manager had a full energy and morning's happiness?

She was sure an extraordinary one.

Rukia looked up, realizing the way Nel dressed today. A simple unbutton black coat who covered the edge of her plain cotton creamy brown mini dress. She wore the matching black cotton flat boots and an evil grin painted on her face as she let Rukia go.

"What is it now, Nel?" asked a curious Rukia. They both greeted the blushing bell boy and walked to the lift, heading to floor 14 where Rukia lived.

"The box that addresses to you...." her smirk grew larger as they walked inside, entwined her fingers, "is that from your lover?"

Rukia said nothing as they arrived at floor 14 and walked to room 114 as she took her apartment card out from her purse. When they walked inside, the said box was placed on top of her desk and a little note on it.

"Did you open the note?" asked Rukia, completely ignoring Nel's previous question.

Nel shook her head, giving her the look that said 'we-don't-open-notes-on-personal-boxes'.

Rukia hang her coat and put on her Chappy the Bunny sandals. She took the box and put in on her lap as Nel Tu went to the kitchen, made tea for them both.

Slowly, her hands opened the handwritting note and gasped. The box was quite small and even two of her Harry Potter collection won't fit inside. A red ribbon wrapped it neatly like a Christmas gift she got from Rangiku years ago and the note said,

_This box is a special present just for you..._

_Open it on your birthday, my angel..._

_What the hell?_ She thought as Nel offered her a cup of tea and she put both the box and the note back to their place on the table.

"So, what's it?" Nel asked, took a sip of her tea and look at Rukia.

Rukia gave her the note and took her iPhone, looking for the battery charger.

"This can't be from Kuchiki-sama, right?" Nel asked, meeting the empty spot Rukia just sat on. "Rukia? Rukia?" she said again, stood up and walked towards Rukia's bedroom.

Inside, she found Rukia plugged in the charger and turned on her iPhone.

"I need to call Rangiku. I never good on things like mysterious box, you know."

Nel sat beside her on her queen sized bed and took a look around. "You still into the Chappy things? Jeez, you're older than me yet you still love that childish thing."

Rukia sent her a 'Chappy-is-awesome-and-everyone-has-a-right-to-love-it-so-stop-insulting-Chappy-or-that-will-be-your-last-word' glare.

_You have 50 missed calls, 5 voicemails, and 20 unread messages._

"Wow, someone must be missing you," said Nel as she stood up and sat before the desk, turning Rukia's VAIO laptop on.

Rukia's attention was still on her phone as she listened to the first voicemail. It was, obviously, from Ichigo. But she doubted _all _of the voicemails and unread messages were from him.

"_Rukia.... er, this is Ichigo. And I just wanna ask---fo, forget it.." _

She raised her eyebrows, whatever happened to this guy?

She opened the other voicemail and it was from Ichigo again, "_Er, sorry for the last message. I... DAMN IT, WOMAN, WHY DO YOU LEAVE?"_

Both Rukia and Nel Tu gasped in shock when Ichigo's voice suddenly raised in a full annoyance.

"Who IS that?" asked Nel as she typed Rukia's twitter password.

Rukia glared at her and said, "Why do you have to open my twitter anyway? And _how _can you know my password?!"

An evil smirk painted on Nel's lips, "For goodness sake, Rukia. Ran-chan and I know that your password will always be lovechappy4ever. And you haven't answered my question yet. _Who _is that guy?"

Rukia sighed, Rangiku must be the one who told Nel since the woman was practically knew every little things about her, "That's Kurosaki Ichigo."

Nel swiftly twisted her position on her chair and her smirk—once again—grew larger, "And he is?"

"The guy I spent my Christmas Eve with." She said almost out of annoyance. There was no secret she could hide under Rangiku's and Nel's noses.

When Nel sent her a dirty glare, Rukia shouted, "We did _not _do that!"

Nel chuckled and back to Rukia's twitter page while Rukia listened to the rest of the voicemails and read the messages.

True enough, they were all from Ichigo.

Asking her the same question, _Why do you leave?_

She sighed again and called Rangiku's number when Nel said, "Look, Perez Hilton tweeted you and asked about the guy you hugged back then. Hmm, it's been a month but the gossip never went off. And I see you get more and more followers even since last month..."

Her words went on about Rukia and the guy while Rukia busy calling Rangiku.

Unfortunately, it went to her voicemail. _She might be still have hangover or... busy with Hisagi-san_, thought Rukia as she stood up and looked at her twitter page.

"Nel," she said, in a deep voice that could make the younger woman shivering as if she got hit by an angry snowy rain, "I don't wanna be famous by gossips. I wanna be famous because of my acting skill. My achievement as an actress. And trust me, if gossips will ever _went off_, it will be a true heaven for entertainer."

---

Ichigo had neatly dressed in white polo t-shirt, black jeans, black coat, and a knitted multicolour thick shawl when he heard someone's knocking his door. He groaned and put his car key back to the table and walked in big steps. Whoever outside his door was ruining his _perfect _plan to go to Rukia's apartment and have some talk about her... disappearance from his apartment this morning.

He could hear 'ding' from his clock telling that it had been 12 pm when he opened his door and met face-to-face with none other than—

His stupid crazy and perverted Old Man.

Before he could say anything, his body was already hit the hard wall and somehow his face met the cold floor.

It was—obviously—something Kurosaki Isshin considered as a _normal_ greeting from a father to his son.

Ichigo stood up, yelling at his old man, "WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT, POPS? Is that how a dad suppose to greet his beloved son after the christmas eve?!"

Before Isshin could reply, came another voice that belonged to his 20-year-old little sister with a shoulder-lenght black hair, "Ichi-nii, don't curse in front of, Yuzu." Kurosaki Karin said as she crossed her hands and sat on Ichigo's comfy sofa.

"Karin-chaaaaaan........." their father was about to give Karin one of his 'father's hug' to Karin if she didn't kick him right in the face and made him flew across Ichigo's coffee table and hit the wall.

"Shut it, Pops. I'm confuse. We're the kids here but I see you act more _childish _than your own children." Continued Karin in her usual cold voice and Ichigo could do nothing but let out a proud smirk towards his sister. _She still knows how to kick guys' asses, _he thought.

"It's ok, Karin-chan," said Kurosaki Yuzu, the always-lovely brown-haired twins of Karin as she walked to Ichigo and hugged him, "Jinta curses a lot and I get used to it. Onii-chan can curse as much as he wants but I'm still keeping my words clean." She said as she hang her coat and unwrinkle her brown mini dress and unbutton her snow-printed grey cardigan.

"YOU STILL HANG OUT WITH HIM?!" asked Ichigo in a loud voice—Yuzu and Karin had to protected their own ears thanks to their older brother. He knew that Jinta and Ururu were accepted into Karakura University alongside Karin and Yuzu. And the adopted children of Kisuke and Yoruichi had a home near his former home.

"She has a boyfriend and you have a problem with that? Jeez, Ichi-nii, we're 20 and but you still treat us like a fragile and can't-do-anything-without-their-oh-so-cool-older-brother 5-year-old little sisters."

Sometime, Ichigo couldn't even win an argument with Karin.

Ichigo let out a deep breath and said, "I knew it. The moment I took you both to Urahara's and met that bastard Jinta was the biggest mistake in my life."

Yuzu blushed a little and walked to his kitchen.

"She's in love with him." said Karin after a good 10 seconds of silence filled his apartment.

Ichigo sat beside her and said, "I don't see what she finds in him. There are plently of better _and _less jerk guy out there but why she has to choose him?"

When he finally eyed her and saw her tomboy little sister wore a v-neck black t-shirt with the same knitted shawl he was wearing, his eyebrows furrowed. Those clothes were not Karin's style.

"Say," he started—with an evil smirk on his face—when Yuzu back with some tea for them and sat on the other side of Ichigo—he was trapped between his little sisters, "do you have a boyfriend, Karin?"

Both Karin and Yuzu choked on their tea and Ichigo was getting more suspicious. He was their older brother and he had all the rights to know who his little sisters was dating.

"That depends," replied Karin as she put her cup on the table and eyed Ichigo, "is Kuchiki Rukia _your _girlfriend, Ichi-nii?"

This time, Ichigo choked on his tea.

---

Rangiku was busy checking the box on her lap. Her attention was full on it and she didn't even bother the fact that she got there wearing a tied coat and a flat boots while underneath it was nothing but a thin nightgown.

Guess who had the best night ever last night?

"Raaaaaaaaaaaan-chaaaaaaaaaaaaaan. . ." groaned Nel to caught Rangiku's attention.

Rukia looked at her then back to Rangiku when Nel continued, "Why are you wearing a nightgown inside your cooaaaaaaaaaaaat?" she asked in her little girl voice—although she had already known the answer the moment Rangiku stepped inside Rukia's apartment and opened her coat.

"Rukia, do you have a friend whose job is police?" asked Rangiku to Rukia, ignoring the hazel-eyed woman beside her.

Rukia thought for a moment. She had a lot of friends back in private high school but she never knew if any of them worked as a police.

"Why?" asked Rukia.

Rangiku sighed and sent a death glare to Nel who was now almost let out her fake-sobbing, "Because... I'm afraid we oughtta report this to police. Only if things get worse and whoever this guy is trying to—let's say, _kidnap_ you, we have to make a move."

Before Rukia could answer, the song Never Say Die by YUI rang loudly from her iPhone inside her bedroom.

"It was probably Nii-sama. I should take it then." She said as she made her way to her bedroom.

She took her iPhone and looked at the Chappy drawing she made for everyone on her contact list. For her Nii-sama, Rukia drew a Chappy wearing a kenseikan and an Armani Suit. On second thought, she had no Chappy drawings of Kurosaki Ichigo.

Oh he would _love _her drawings so much when she showed it to him.

Back to her bedroom, Rukia simply said, "Good afternoon, Nii-sama."

"_Rukia, I want you and Matsumoto and Nel Tu to join the Kuchiki's New Year's Party." _Said Byakuya without another word. It was not an invitation, it was an _order_.

"Bu—but, Nii-sama—"

"_You three will arrive at Kuchiki Manor at 9 pm. Use formal dress and do not come late. I won't consider any other reason for you to not come. I have given you a free time on Christmas Eve so you _have _to come."_

"Y-yes."

"_And, Rukia?"_

"Yes, N-Nii-sama?"

"_Don't bring that guy you hugged last month. Just go with Matsumoto and Nel Tu and I will introduce you to some noble guy that you will be marry in the future."_

"Nii-sama! We've already talked about this! I decide whom I gonna marry. I thought we clear about that."

"_Yes you will choose whomever you like to bear children with but it won't stop me to introduce you to some noble guys who, indeed, are _worthy _enough to be with you."_

"And they'll all turn out to be some rich-jerk, Nii-sama. With all respect, I hung up."

---

Grimmjow made his way towards the new bar, Arrancar, as he unzipped his coat. Tokyo just had to be in its worst season as the snowy rain and fast wind were blocking people from their normal activities for celebrating the New Year's Eve.

The bar was just opened one week ago but somehow it had been the coolest and most famous bar in the entire Tokyo. That made Kojima Mizuiro, the owner, always came with a big grin saying that the end of 2009 was his best year and he hoped 2010 would went better.

Grimmjow stepped inside, meeting the beautiful-freak bartender, Ayasegawa Yumichika, and said a simple 'Good evening'. That Yumichika always bugged him by saying how _beautiful _his blue hair was.

All he could do was sent the man a death glare if he heard him calling his name 'Grimmy'.

"You suck, Grimmy." Said Yumichika when Grimmjow stepped out from the locker room and arranging the bottles before him.

"What crap are you talking about, Yumichika?" asked him.

Yumichika still playing with his three-coloured eyebrows, "it's New Year's Eve and you're still _working_?"

"I don't see something wrong with that." He replied in dull voice, "And I see you're working too."

Before Yumichika could reply, there were footsteps approaching the bar with a lot of women gasped as if they just saw Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law dressed as Sherlock Holmes and dr. Watson walked towards them.

Both bartenders took a look to the footsteps' owner and smirked.

There, clad in similar black coat but different clothes underneath it were Kurosaki Ichigo and Hisagi Shuuhei.

They both walked to Grimmjow and Yumichika and ordered a champagne.

"May I take your coats, Sir?" asked Yumichika, batting his eyebrows to Shuuhei and Ichigo.

Both said nothing as Yumichika took their coats and his eyes widened as he eyed the guys' well-tonned bodies.

"Hisagi-kuuuuun.." said a brunette-haired woman flirtatiously towards Shuuhei. Her hand rested on his shoulder and her fingers played with his white belt-printed t-shirt. "Why don't we have a drink together and ditch this orange-haired weirdo guy?"

Ichigo raised his eyebrows. Orange-haired _weirdo_ guy?

This woman was so opening her own door to hell.

Shuuhei turned to said woman and took her hand off of him. "Sorry, woman, this is my night with my best-friend," he glanced at a crowd of younger boys and girls behind them dancing and drinking and he could even see some of them making out in the corner, "and you can go back to that crowd." He continued as the woman left them with an angry look.

"Ichigo," he stared at his best friend and said with a deep voice as if he was saying something serious, "were you doing that with Rukia?"

Ichigo choked and a glass Grimmjow was holding fell onto the floor.

"So—sorry." Said Grimmjow as he excused himself to the locker room.

Ichigo glared at Shuuhei and said, "What kind of question is that?"

"Just answer me," replied Shuuhei as he sipped his drink slowly, "Me and Rangiku knew what you two were _enjoying _back on Chirstmas Eve. Sorry to interrupt anyway."

"We didn't do anything." Said Ichigo a second later, not bother to look at Shuuhei as he drank his drink again.

"You guys didn't?! Man, what a shame! It's like you got the chick on your hand and you _did _nothing?!"

Ichigo finally looked at him, "I ain't a guy like you, dude. I'm clean."

Shuuhei chuckled, "No, _dude_, you're hopeless. So what happened the next day?"

"She left. And I hadn't called her yet since my family's here and they kept on separating me from my iPhone."

"And she hadn't called you too?"

"Nope."

"You suck."

Ichigo chuckled, "Yes, I am."

"I mean, I got the mana—"

His words were cut off as his BlackBerry Bold buzzing inside his jeans' pocket. He put his glass and took out his phone, seeing 'Shiba Kukkaku' on its screen.

"What is it, Kukkaku?" asked Shuuhei and Ichigo ordered more drink to the blue-haired bartender.

"_We get a problem, Shuuhei," _replied Kukkaku in a serious voice, _"Kira's in the hospital. He will recover in 6 months or so that Ishida guy said. We need to find a new first assistant director a.s.a.p."_

"What happened to him?"

"_Dunno, anyway, I gotta go, Ganju's makin' fun of Miyako again. Bye."_

Shuuhei hang up the phone and sighed. Kira Izuru was in hospital?

"What's it now?" asked Ichigo, "Something about your movie?"

"Izuru's in the hospital," replied Shuuhei as he ordered another drink to Grimmjow, "I gotta find a new first assistant director. Jeez, what a pain in the ass."

When the bartender came with his order, he said, "Urm, sorry to interrupt but I can help you."

Shuuhei raised his eyebrow, "And who might you be?"

The blue-haired bartender offered Shuuhei his hand and the director shook it lightly, "My name is Grimmjow Jeagerjaques and I'm graduated from Movie School back in France. I can be your first assistant director."

"I have no time left, just give me your number and I'll call you later."

When Grimmjow gave his number and the sound of thousand fireworks could be heard from outside telling them that it was already 00:01, Shuuhei said, "Welcome to the movie production of Dark Princess."

Only God knew what would happened to all of them in the beginning of January 2010.

---

Two women were tiredly threw themselves upon Rukia's bed. It was 2 am in the morning and they just came home from the Kuchiki New Years Party.

"You never told me that Gin will be there, hon," said Rangiku as she stood up and unzipped both her knitted bowie blazer and her black cocktail dress, "I don't wanna meet him anymore and he kept on staring at me like I'm his prey or something," she took her PJs from her gym bag and walked towards the bathroom, "It freaked me out."

Rukia sighed and untied the white belt that wrapped around her long black cardigan. She hang her ruffled little white dress back to its place and took her Chappy the Bunny tank-top along with a baggy white trouser from her closet.

Tonight had been a long night for both of them. Nel was lucky enough since she went with her boyfriend to celebrate New Years Eve in Lombok, Indonesia. Nel got a chance to see the beautiful beach there while Rukia and Rangiku had to stuck with a lot of rich men and women who busy talking about business and politics.

What a _wonderful _New Years Eve.

"We should open the box." Said Rangiku as she stepped out from the bathroom and heading to the living room. "You still keep it, right?"

Rukia only nodded as Rangiku took the box out from one of her cabinet and unwrapped the red ribbon.

When she opened out the so-called present, she screamed.

Rukia hurriedly ran from her bedroom to Rangiku and also screamed her lungs out when she saw the present.

It was a mini-doll version of herself wearing the costume she wore as Erza Egniel and its body was wrapped tightly by chains from shoulders to her waist. The doll version of herself was smiling but it eyes were dull—did doll _have _an emotion?—and there were two drops of blood-tears from the eye. It hands were handcuffed by a little handcuffs—was there even a manufacturing factory that manufactured a mini handcuffs?

Rukia took the doll from Rangiku who was still breathing hard as if she was just escaped from an angry zombie and noticed another note wrapped its leg. She took it and gasped, the note was written in _blood._ It made her body trembling in fear and it said, '_you're mine, Kuchiki Rukia_'.

After Rangiku got back to her sanity, she threw the doll far from them and said with a serious tone, "I ask you again, do you have a friend whose job is cop or detective? This is a serious matter, Rukia. We can't just sit and do nothing."

"I-I think I have one. I'll find my High School's Year Book first so I can contact him."

Rangiku wasted no time and quickly followed Rukia as the tiny woman made her way to her bedroom.

She took out her Year Book and search for 'Abarai Renji' and swiftly took her iPhone and called the number.

_Renji, I hope you still remember me. I need your help._

---

His lips hungrily attacked her white neck as her hand dove into his thick red hair. Her head titled back and met the hard and cold window of the back of his personal car. When she felt his hand went to unbuttoned her white shirt, she twisted their positions so now she was on his lap.

"Not yet, Renji." Tatsuki said with a kind of tone she would use only to him and not to other people.

The red-haired guy groaned and hardly melded their lips together. Her hands circled themselves to his neck and he slid his hands under her shirt. She chuckled between the kiss and push herself closer to him. The car just outside her home was rocking back and forth thanks to their ministration.

"Let's go to your room." Said Renji when he stopped the kissing to a woman above him. She just smiled and when she was about to grab her bag—still on his lap—she could feel two arms held hers.

She looked at Renji who said, "I think here would work too..."

In a mere second, she was laying on her back in the back of his car and he was hovering her. An evil smirk on his face as he once again dove into her already swollen lips and he could see that Tatsuki was smiling out of happiness for having himself on New Year's Eve and outside their job as a detective.

"Tatsuki," he began as he took a deep breath and looked at her eyes, "I lov—"

Their attention was ruined by his phone's ringtone.

_Whoever it is, I'm gonna kill 'em, _thought Renji as he hopped off of her and took his phone from the dashboard.

"Who is it?" asked Tatsuki as she sat beside her now-lover.

Renji showed her the unknown number on his phone's screen and answered it, "Hello?"

"_Renji? Is that you?" _

"Who is this?"

"_It's Kuchiki Rukia."_

The moment he heard the word 'Rukia', his mind flashed before his eyes. He remembered his tiny childhood friend who always kicked his ass. He smiled to himself—not realizing the fact that Tatsuki was beside him, and forgetting his plan to kill whoever interrupted his perfect plan.

"Hey, Rukia. It's been a long time." He said.

"_Renji, I know it might be odd since I suddenly call you after all these years, but I... need your help."_

"What happens?" his voice became anxious and Tatsuki raised her eyebrows.

"_I got this mysterious box that freaked me out. Can you come to my apartment?"_ he studied her worried voice.

It was his opportunity to meet his old friend so why bother to waste it?

Renji looked at Tatsuki and said, "We'll be there tomorrow."

"_We?" _asked Rukia out of curiosity.

"My partner, Arisawa Tatsuki and I. Just e-mail me your address. We'll be happy to help you. See you tomorrow."

With that, Renji hang up the phone and turned his body to Tatsuki, "We're not done yet, Tats."

---

The next day, casually dressed in casual clothes instead of their usual cops' uniform, Renji and Tatsuki arrived at Rukia's apartment. The moment Rukia opened the door, Renji gave her a bear hug and put his hand on top of her raven hair as if she was his little sister.

"You've grown a few inches, Rukia." he said as Rukia offered both the detectives drinks and Rangiku came with the box.

Tatsuki was the one who act like the professional detective, "So, Kuchiki Rukia, you are hereby asking a help from us. Now, tell me the details of the problem you are currently in."

Rangiku and Rukia sat down and the manager replied, "I'm Matsumoto Rangiku, Rukia's manager. And on December 26th, there was a mysterious box addressed for Kuchiki Rukia telling her to open it on her birthday."

"January 14th." Said Renji as he looked at Tatsuki.

"But we both got a little curious about the box and yesterday, on January 1st," Rangiku took a deep breath, "we opened it."

Rukia took the box from Rangiku and unwrapped the red ribbon. She showed it to the detectives and Tatsuki gasped in horror.

She was never dealing with this kind of case before. But there was always a first in everything, right?

Just when Tatsuki about to say something, Renji interrupted, "You have a sick psycho fan, Ru."

---

A/N : yeeah hello people. and yeah yeah i know i haven't updated in about 3 weeks or so. sorry. school has been totally crazy and i also have so many assignments to do—gosh i really wish that my time to choose Humanities as my major in High School is sooner. (fyi, in Indonesia, you have to pick a major you will take in the end of your 10th grade year. this will be your major until you're graduate in 12th grade)

well, i know i put some new characters here but they won't really have a big part anyway haha. it won't hurt to have the kurosakis and yeah yeah i know renji and tatsuki are too OOC. anyway, is the gift rukia got a little bit spooky? i've tried my brain out to find out what should rukia gets but then this idea just pops out in my mind. and yeah, grimmjow enters the movie production, can you guess what will happens? teehee.

i think this story will ends in chapter 8 or so.

so yeah, 4 chapters to go for me. i get this 4-days vacation due to the upper-classmen' try out thing-y before their national exam in my school. i'll try to finish this story next week—only if i'm not too busy playing playstation or queue myself up to watch percy jackson and the lightning thief and valentine's day in the cinema.

or if i'm not too busy making one-shots and drabbles.

i actually wrote this chapter since january this month, so sorry if this is a out-of-season fanfic. teehee.

well, until next chapter :)

toods,

kunoichi1409

p.s the song hisagi sang is Waitin' for Yesterday by David Archuleta.


	5. Suspicious Awareness

**Disclaimer : I own nothing.**

**Paparazzi Incident**

by kunoichi1409

**Chapter Five – Suspicious Awareness**

_we met on a rainy evening in summertime_

_Love on the Rocks, Sara Bareilles_

His dream was ruined by the sound of his alarm. He groaned, he just had a wild dream about him and a certain actress and that damn alarm clock just _had _to rang. He turned it off and woke up, realizing that his body was full with sweat and his bare chest was exposed to his own eyes.

He stood up, grabbing his towel and took a shower—he, despite being an illegal paparazzi, cared about the earth and he knew that taking a bath was so wasting water. After that, he put on a simple boxer and plain white t-shirt and went to his living room.

With a sound of birds twittering outside his home, he turned on his HP computer and plugged his camera's usb cable to the computer. He typed a password and there was an adobe photoshop-ed photo of him and the raven-haired actress as his wallpaper.

The memory of previous chistmas made him angry but then he remembered Hisagi Shuuhei, the man that can connected him with Kuchiki Rukia as he simply accepted him as his new first assistant director.

His BlackBerry buzzing beside him and he saw 'Hisagi Shuuhei' on its screen. Wow, talking about the man who would be his next prey.

"Yes?" he asked as he eyed lots of Rukia's pictures with the orange-haired guy at Rangiku's balcony. He was sure so green with envy.

"_Grimmjow, I will held a meeting with the staffs on Monday. Do you think you can make it?"_

"Where will this meeting be held?"

"_The Urahara's. I've booked a place anyway and that place is so famous I doubt you don't know it."_

"I know the place, so what time?"

"_Around 1 pm. And you'll love to meet the actors. I hope my choice to choose you won't be a mistake. This is a very special movie for me and for the crew and for the actors too,"_

"Oh, don't worry, Hisagi-san, I _won't _make you regret your choice."

He hang up, back to his own computer as he hoped that Kuchiki Rukia would remember him.

They had met before.

---

"Do you think we should open this case?" asked a red-haired guy to a woman beside him, popcorn on her lap as she clicked random buttons on the remote.

She swallowed one pop corn as she put the remote back to its place and watched the re-run episodes of Private Practice. "I don't think we should," her eyes glanced to the man beside her as he circled his left hand around her shoulders, "Well, no offense but I think since she's an actress and all, she might get something like this often."

"So we just have to wait until _something _happens to open this case, eh?" Renji asked as he chewed a pop corn inside his mouth.

The woman just nodded.

"I don't mean to be rude or something though," Tatsuki began, "But cases are much tougher now so I think that kind of case about 'threat' message can be put behind."

---

"Ichi-nii, you have a call!!" shouted Karin downstair. Ichigo had been staying with his family since they visited him so now he was back to Karakura.

His former home.

Being with his family was great. He hadn't seen Karin or Yuzu for months and he even kind of missed his crazy dad too. But Isshin always bugging him about 'future wife' and 'grandbabies' and 'my son is probably gay' _and _'do i raise our son in a wrong way, Masaki?'. Geez, he was not a gay.

He attacted to Kuchiki Rukia.

The woman that had been inside his thought even since that fateful incident in Christmas Eve.

"A minute!" shouted Ichigo back to his little sister as he put a plain white t-shirt—he was only using a white man-tank—and opened his door.

As he arrived at the kitchen and mouthed a 'I get it' to Karin, he picked up the phone, "Hello?"

"_Kurosaki-san, this is Kurotsuchi Nemu."_

"Ah, Kurotsuchi-san, what is it?" asked Ichigo in a formal way, this girl had a scary father anyway.

"_Mayuri-sama wants you to go to London." _Was it weird for a daughter to not call her own father 'Dad'? Well, this was Kurotsuchi family after all.

"London?" asked Ichigo as he heard Karin choked on her drink—she was currently humming Glee Cast Version of Defying Gravity.

"_Yes, Mayuri-sama has a medical meeting there but he's apparantely can't attend it. He asked me to ask you about replacing him."_

"When will this meeting be held?" asked Ichigo as he pulled out his iPhone from his short's pocket.

"_It will be held in January 7__th__. It will be a week trip to London and you shall be back to Japan in January 14__th__." _Nemu's voice sounded so dull in his head.

Well, it was not like she ever _had_ a lively voice before.

"Well, then I'm in. Do I have to come visit Kurotsuchi-sensei first?" he asked as he put his iPhone on the table before him.

"_Yes, you do. Your presence is expected at Mayuri-sama's office on January 4."_

"I'll be there then, Kurotsuchi-san. Thank you for letting me replacing him. I'll see you on Monday."

"_You're welcome, Kurosaki-san."_

Ichigo hang up. Took his iPhone and sat beside Karin. His home was so much better without his crazy Old Man inside—he was shopping with Yuzu. After winning the quarrel with Karin between watch Gossip Girl or Heroes, Ichigo took a deep breath.

"What's she talking about, Ichi-nii?" asked Karin as she took a bite of the homemade blueberry muffin.

Ichigo squintting his eyes, yawned a little and said, "Well, I have a one-week-long trip to London."

Karin gasped, choked on her muffin and Ichigo quickly gave her a glass of water.

"In what occasion? Won't your college schedule be a little ruined?"

"Well, Kurotsuchi-sensei has a medical meeting there but he can't attend so he chooses me to replace him. I'm the best in his class, little sister."

"Duh, finally someone realize that you actually have a brain larger than a monkey's." Mocked Karin as they heard a footsteps from the front door.

"Time to help our beloved Pops, Ichi-nii."

Ichigo sighed.

But well, it might be the best he could give to his family before storming off to London.

This time, he didn't mind helping his crazy Old Man.

---

"Has Ichigo called you?" asked Rangiku as both women made their way to Urahara's.

Rukia rose her shoulder lightly as her thick shawl swung freely against the wind. A short-sleeved denim shirt and a black jeans were matching with her once again flat cotton boots.

"Hmmm, it's weird..." said Rangiku most to herself as she tied her black coat and hid the little white layered dress underneath it. In order to avoid the coldness that will never leave them until Spring came, she wore a quite thick black legging and a similar boots with Rukia's.

"What do you mean 'it's weird'?" asked Rukia as she swung the door opened and bowed a little to Urahara Kisuke—who was busy playing with his new fan.

They saw Shuuhei at table 2 and walked towards him, "Well, since you both had a somewhat make-out session at _my _balcony, I want a real result."

"Real result?" asked Rukia as she sat beside Ashido.

Rangiku gave a peck to Shuuhei before sat beside him, "I want you and him be an—"

"Am I late?" asked a blue-haired guy with a marvelous smirk and well-built body as he made his way towards them.

"Who is he?" Rangiku asked more to herself and completely forgot to her previous sentence about Rukia and Ichigo.

Shuuhei rose from his seat and greeted Grimmjow. The new assistant director smirked nervously before bowed, "Hello. My name is Grimmjow Jeagerjaques and I'm the new assistant director. Nice to meet you."

Everyone began to introduce themselves and Grimmjow felt welcomed.

They seemed to already like this guy even though he had an intimidating face.

But Rukia didn't smile at all.

She knew this guy.

They met before.

"Rukia, you haven't introduced yourself to Grimmjow." Said Rangiku as she winked him.

Rukia swallowed hard.

The question was, did he remember her?

She gave him her right hand, "Ku—Kuchiki Rukia."

Grimmjow took it slowly as he shook her hand and smirk, "I'm Grimmjow Jeagerjaques. I hope you can help me in this production."

As Rukia let him go, Rangiku replied with over enthusiasm, "Oh of course she will!!"

Rukia only smiled a little.

"Now, let this meeting begins." Said Shuuhei as he sat back and offered Grimmjow a seat before him.

Shuuhei continued. Telling Grimmjow this and that about the movie while Rukia was busy fighting with her own mind.

Because the problem was : the memory she had about him was not a good one.

---

Rukia threw herself upon her bed as the LG Scarlet Flat TV showed her another yummy asian food. Bah, she wasn't in a mood for any kind of food.

_Why does he show up again anyway? _she asked herself as her little toes made their way to her closet. She took the newest Chappy the Bunny PJs she owned and changed her clothes. She yawned, his appearance might affected her a little too much.

When she was about to sleep, there was a 'pop' sound came from her laptop. Her eyebrows furrowed, who dare to disturb her this late?

She sat on the chair lazily as she clicked the small video icon and was a bit surprised when her violet eyes met Ichigo's.

He seemed exhausted. His usual lively amber eyes were so dull and there were some black strips under his eyes.

"Ichigo?" she started.

He yawned a little before realizing her voice, "Oh, hi there, Rukia."

"Don't you 'Hi there' me. Not after you gave me those weird voicemails." She replied with a much colder voice as she lifted her legs up and hugged it with her own arms.

She was midget enough to even hugged her legs on a chair.

"Oh yeah, sorry about that." She could see he put his hand to the back of his neck nervously.

"Like hell I'll forgive you. Don't you know that you scared the hell outta my life? Geez." Her right leg dropped to the floor and tapped a little. She was somehow getting agitated.

He yawned again, this time a little longer than the previous one, "Well, I'm sorry, k? You were the one who scared the shit outta me first. I woke up and you were gone? Damn it, midget, what the fuck was wrong with you?"

She rolled her eyes, "I got a package, ok? So yeah I gotta go."

..........

"How's your life?" they asked in the same time.

Ichigo coughed nervously as he said, "Urm, nothing's new expect my family was with me the whole winter holiday so yeah, they kept me away from my iPhone."

"Is that so? Well, the movie got some problem about the crew but it's fine now."

"Oh yeah, the blue-haired guy from the bar, have you met him?"

_Her hands full with mud while her Nii-sama all clean in the normal clothes he rarely wear. The sunlight coloured sundress she wore was damp and her flip-flop also kinda dirty._

"_You shouldn't play when the waves are that high, Rukia." Byakuya said in a dully tone as his hand readjusted the cap he wore._

_The 15-year-old girl smiled childishly, "But they were really beautiful, Nii-sama. The waves, the birds, and everything! Can I go there again tomorrow?"_

"_We'll be leaving Macao in two days, enjoy your time with your own. But remember, come back home before 7 pm. You are a stranger here, don't talk with unknown people and protect yourself with the martial arts you've learned. I will get really busy but I'll call you when there's an important thing."_

_Rukia's mind was already full with the image of her playing in their private beach alone for whole day._

"Rukia?" asked Ichigo when he saw Rukia spaced out.

"Huh?"

"You were spacing out just then."

She yawned a little, "Ah, sorry. What was your question earlier?"

"Have you met the new guy, er, his name is Grimmjow or something."

"Ah, I've met him."

_Her damped hair was messily tied in a ponytail as she half-running to the nearest store to avoid the rain._

"_Geez, Nii-sama will be so angry to me if he sees me like this again." she said to herself as someone bumped her from behind. She shot him a 'what-the-hell-do-you-want' glare but then intimidated by his height. Her angry face met his chest as he lowered the box he was holding and said, "Watch where you're going, Missy. You standing right before our store and blocking the entrance away. If you're not gonna buy anything, please step away."_

_Her replied was a puppy dog eyes that made the blue-haired guy's heart melted in sympathy._

"_We-well, you can stay here for a while if you want. Let me get you a towel and a warm drink. What about chocolate?"_

_She nodded and walked toward the store, with the smiling guy in front of her._

"Rukia? You're spacing out again. Are you sure you're not sleepy or something?"

Her wide eyes bored into him through the camera, "Nope. Sorry about that, anyway, I do sleepy. So anything you wanna say in particular?"

His hand went to rub his neck again, "Urm, well, I have to go to London."

"Really?"

He nodded, "Yepp, I'm actually replacing my professor so I just wanna wish you a happy early birthday since I won't be in Japan when you celebrating it." he somehow sounded sad.

Rukia's eyes still bored into him, though her mind stuck with the memory of the much younger new assistant director. She yawned, said 'Well, that's a very noble of you for the early birthday things. But I'm so tired so I bid you goodbye now."

Even before Ichigo had a chance to say 'Bye', she turned off her laptop and walked straight to her bed. Trying to kick the blue-haired guy out from her mind.

---

_Since the day he helped her out, Rukia made sure that she visited his store once in two days to at least say Hi. The guy introduced himself as Grimmjow and he seemed to be very interested in her. He told her so many interesting story that made her stay in his store way too long and made Nii-sama had to forcely took her back from the comfortable Chappy the Bunny couch she labeled as her own._

_But not too long after their closeness, the rumor about him finally reached the sharp ear of Kuchiki Byakuya._

"_You should stop seeing him, Rukia." said the kenseikan user to his younger sister as he took a bite from him salad._

_The already clad in another sundress with a black beach hat on her head looked up and stop eating her sandwich, "Why? I don't see him as a person that will make harm to your business."_

"_He does nothing bad to me, but he does after young girls like you."_

"_What do you mean?" asked Rukia as she stood up, completely ignoring her breakfast and made her way to thr front door. But her body was stopped when she felt her Nii-sama's bigger hand held hers and dragged her back to her seat._

"_We'll go back to Japan today. Finish your breakfast, no more holiday for you."_

_And since that, she never met the guy again._

Rukia suddenly awoke, feeling the cold sweat ran through her back as she breathed hard.

She eyed the clock, telling her it was already 2 a.m but her hand went to take her iPhone and dialed Rangiku.

She waited for about 10 seconds before the other party answered with a drunk voice, "Rukia? What's up?"

"I.... have something to tell you."

---

"Now now, Rukia, don't open your eyes, ok?" said Shiba Kukkaku as she walked beside the midget actress and held her hands behind her back for safety. Kukkaku had to hid her smirk to grew bigger as she made their way into a dim room with a lot of bunny-shapped candles and a big 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUKIA' hanging between another two huge Chappy the Bunny shapped statues.

The Kuchiki clan leader's sister had neatly dressed in a dark purple mini dress with a little red belt, a red sneaker, and a creamy long cardigan when Ashido suddenly 'kidnap' her after the shooting and drove her somewhere she couldn't recognize due to the black thick fabric that wrapped her eyes tightly.

So much for a fake kidnapping.

"How can I open my eyes when you put this thing tightly to my......" he words were cut off as Rangiku untied the fabric and turned her body. When her violet orbs met the wonderful decoration of Kukkaku's home, she was almost cried.

"Oh... my... God....." she continued as she hugged both Rangiku and Kukkaku and mouthed 'thank you' to everyone around the room. "This is...... unpredictable!!"

Her face shone with joy when she saw that her Nii-sama was actually there with his assistant. And she could see almost every crew of Dark Princess stood before her, their tired face still showed happiness for being there to celebrate her birthday party,

But then she realized that the spotlight from so many paparazzi's camera outside the house couldn't even help her find the shocking orange hair that belonged to Kurosaki Ichigo.

Oh yeah, she forgot, he was far away in London right now.

---

Ichigo made his way through the very crowded Tokyo Airport as he hurriedly took his iPhone from his coat.

That was when he bumped into someone.

A girl with a red ribbon on her head.

She looked up, only to find a very orange hair blocked her view.

"Ah, so you're _the _Kurosaki Ichigo my boyfriend has been talking about!!!" she said as she tried to stand up.

Ichigo just stood there dumbstruck, "Your... boyfriend?"

The girl smiled, "Yep, I'm Senna. Kano Ashido's boyfriend."

---

Around 11 pm, the birthday girl, the manager, the house-owner, and the director were busy laughing and drinking on the big couch in Kukkaku's living room. The others had gone home since minutes ago since they still have a shooting to do tomorrow—though Rukia had her day-off since it was concerned around Ashido who had been moaning over and over again about not able to pick his girlfriend that landed from London at the same time as her birthday party.

When Rangiku knew that Rukia had passed her usual drinking limit, she forced the drunken Rukia to go home and sleep well. Rukia, on the other hand, didn't look _that _drunken and smiled childishly as her fingers found the pearl necklace Nii-sama gave her.

"You need to rest, Ru. Come on, I take you and Rangiku home." Said Shuuhei as he took Rangiku's coat on his hand and opened the front door.

Rukia finally nodded when Rangiku helped her walk with an arm over her small shoulder. Just when she was about to get into the SUV hybrid car Shuuhei just bought recently, her eyes caught a glimpse of a flash from a Canon EOS 7D. She walked there, getting an odd glare from both her friends, and picked up the forgotten camera.

_I wonder whose it is, _she thought, _this isn't something you can put anywhere anyway, it cost a hell of money._

She just didn't know that kilometers away from Kukkaku's home, a certain blue-haired assistant director cursed himself for forgetting his precious belonging.

---

A/N : okay, people. i know that i haven't updated this story since like march or something. i have to bow and give you guys a lotsa apology *bows.

so i was stuck to an IV for a week and when i had a week vacation due to seniors' national exam, my dad bought the laptop along with him for a business trip. and finally, when he was back home, i had school and not to mention the overwhelming tasks the teachers had given to me. yepp, what a way to make a living in school haha.

anyway, don't worry, this won't be a love triangle story (it's too cliche for my taste) so Senna won't be an obstacle haha.

somehow, i lose my enthusiasm towards bleach and get my attention back to Fullmetal Alchemist. the more i think about it, the more i realize how bleach plot line isn't really my taste... no offense though. and about the forgotten camera, i love photography, but i just don't own a Canon camera so sorry if i make a mistake about that.

so, i completely out from bleach world but don't worry again, i will finish this story. though my head is full with the pictures of Colonel Roy Mustang . . . *fan girling mode on*

well, that's all from me. i'll try to update the next chapter in a week or so, i have a mid-exam coming out anyway haha.

ya-ha,

kunoichi1409

p.s i watched this shojo anime called Taichou wa Maid-sama or Maid Sama! on animax and i just gotta say, it's my favorite already haha. (i actually read and watch too many shounen manga, so far, i only watch Ouran High School Host Club, K-On!, and Taichou wa Maid-sama for shojo anime)


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